An effective office design entails far more than what meets the eye. A successful office fit-out project is a combination of personnel planning, timely delivery, quality manufacture, and smart design. While every office can improve with a little revamping and makeover, it is important to get feedback from the staff when it comes to a new office fit-out.
Refreshing an office fit-out or moving to a new location is a major undertaking, regardless of the size of the project or the distance travelled. Therefore, it is crucial that the whole staff is on-board with the change. Let's find out why!
Not Listening Can Be Costly
A significant amount of money is wasted every day in corporations simply because of inadequate listening and communication. The money is lost owing to mistakes, poor decisions, and deteriorated teamwork.
The most significant barrier to receiving employee input is fear. Managers are often scared to listen since they don't want to appear to agree with something they don't genuinely support. Another reason leaders may not listen effectively is that they do not want to hear input that may compel them to re-evaluate their own opinion, or they are afraid of not expressing their viewpoint during the conversation.
Feedback Is Valued
As much as employees appreciate good pay and appraisal, they also cherish feedback and inclusion. Optimum work cultures emphasise the importance of feedback and listening. It is important for managers to get feedback from staff while considering a new office fit-out. This way, the managers can know whether the employees are happy about the change and if they have any reservations.
Encourage employee feedback as a way of giving your employees more influence without having to raise their pay or give them promotions. Being empowered to take action at work when a problem or opportunity occurs has a significant impact on employee engagement.
Employee Loyalty
Supervisors pay more attention to employees who have a higher rank or have been with the company for longer. Supervisors are more likely to listen to employees who have worked for them for a longer period of time. Unsurprisingly, the less-heard workers are not paid enough attention and are left out from important discussions, such as about office fit-outs. As a result, the entire team suffers, and staff performance is hampered.
Managers need to become mindful of their unconscious prejudices and engage with their team in a methodical way. Another way to reduce unconscious bias is to offer anonymous employee input in surveys so that a person's status does not influence their statements.
Effective Leadership
Some leaders consider themselves to be dogmatic leaders who tell their subordinates what to do. In this case, it's as necessary for supervisors to stand down and pay attention. Many leaders, though, find it difficult to do so, partly because they've grown accustomed to speaking rather than listening.
Taking what you learn from your employees' input and putting it into action is the key to transforming listening skills into effective management. Everything your employees say can lead to action, and it's critical that it happens - especially if the input matches current problems.
Increases Motivation
If you want to increase employee engagement, one of the most crucial techniques you can utilise is listening. Every time you fail to apply listening skills and withhold your focused concentration from someone when they are speaking, you make them feel worthless and inconsequential.
Create a direct line of communication with your staff by instituting an employee check-in program. This methodical technique will ensure that you don't lose track of any of your employees. All employees, even those who appear to be doing well on their own, must be supported proactively.
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