Intrinsic motivation
Prioritising employee engagement by fostering an environment where people feel valued, confident, and connected. This is borne out of an ability to ‘bring one’s entire self to work’; by breaking down the barriers which potentially inhibit one’s authenticity at work, people are more likely to deliver high quality work and discretionary effort. (Hackman and Oldham (1975), Gagne and Deci (2005))
Embracing failure as a learning opportunity
Promoting a growth mindset where failures are seen as opportunities for learning and innovation. Carol Dweck took the thinking of James, Binet and Rogers into unchartered territory in the 1980’s, exploring the effects of one’s view on learning agility that can have on one’s success. The irony is that an individual’s innate belief in a ‘fixed mindset’ or ‘growth mindset’ is often affected by childhood experiences, so enabling people to realise that failure is an opportunity to learn once they reach employment requires significant levels of institutional trust.
Define, review and embed a compelling EVP
While recent research does indicate that it’s an employer’s market at the moment (KPMG and Personnel Today both emphasise that general employer hesitancy and increased competition for jobs gives employers the upper hand in picking out the best candidates), it continues to be important that employers are mindful of how they attract and retain their best talent.
Agile employers are thinking about how they offer a differentiated package; with Paydata’s trend analysis on pay reward indicating a plateau for 2024/25, businesses need to think about what they offer that makes them more appealing than the alternative.
Actionable steps for leaders
To implement these strategies effectively, leaders should consider the following steps:
1. Assess and plan
Review your current leadership competencies and behaviours to ensure they align with future needs. Audit your culture to determine if it supports high performance and psychological safety.
Be prepared to take steps when you discover misalignment. Leaders in people and reward functions need to think about what is going to keep their best people engaged and retained, and be willing to try new things where necessary.
2. Execute and support
Align talent processes with the desired culture, providing clear guidance and support for managers to develop the necessary skills. Reviewing ‘what good looks like’ in your business, defining it clearly, then aligning your reward and recognition approaches to these frameworks is critical.
3. Review and adapt
Regularly evaluate employee engagement data to identify areas for improvement and adjust strategies as needed. What works now will not always work in the future, so be willing to review and adapt.
Conclusion
The role of managers is more critical than ever in driving organisational success. By supporting them through effective development, promoting a culture of growth and psychological safety, and aligning talent strategies with these priorities, organisations can empower their managers to thrive in this complex environment. Are you ready to support your managers in this new era of complexity?
People Business offers reliable expertise in HR and people development. We work with organisations advising and assisting them with everything from day-to-day HR needs to training and coaching, to bespoke change management programmes and leadership development. With over 20 years in business, we have the experience and expertise to help.
info@peoplebusiness.co.uk - www.peoplebusiness.co.uk - 01932 874 944
