What would you give to never have a worker shortage or struggle with turnover? For your office to be filled with happy, engaged employees? To give your employees one day off and then have them back wanting to work the next day for another 364 days? The secrets to such a rosy employment picture may lie within the holiday songs you’ve been humming for the past month about the big man in red himself – Santa Claus.
“And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!”
– The Night Before Christmas
Just like reindeer, employees respond better and work harder when their leader maintains a personal connection with them. If you have hundreds of employees throughout multiple locations, it might not be realistic for you to recognize each one. However, you can still share words of praise and motivation. And, it’s perfectly reasonable for you to be able to remember your direct reports names, along with their dreams for the future and passions in life. Plus, the closer an employee is to their leader, the harder it will be for them to leave.
“Rudolf with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight.”
– Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Just like Santa knew Rudolf’s strength was his ability to guide the sleigh with his glowing nose, it’s to your benefit to know your employees’ strengths so you can easily match them to a project that will benefit from their talents, whether it’s writing, wrapping packages, or programming computers. To uncover talent within your organization, make sure to seek out the participants of successful projects and look beyond managers to find the workers who applied the manpower. The most desired employers, which are also the most profitable, are those that have mastered playing to their employees strengths. It’s not hard to do – it just takes some time, observation, and creativity, which will be well worth it in the long run as you become the employer of choice and lower your turnover!
“He’s making a list, checking it twice. Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.”
– Santa Clause is Coming to Town
For your employees to get the most out of your employer-employee relationship and enjoy working within their strengths the majority of the time, you need to know what they’re doing each day and what the results are. You need to be aware of their daily tasks, if they’re meeting deadlines, and if their performance is up to par. This isn’t micro-managing; it’s being supportive and aware. Only then can you coach them through their weaknesses and praise them for their strengths. Nothing frustrates employees more than not getting any feedback on their performance so they can recognize their own strong points and areas for improvement.
Granted, you probably can’t quite compete with an employer like Santa Clause. But, taking steps to retain your employees and increase their morale doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult. Take a few cues from St. Nick, and you’ll help ensure your employees have a holly, jolly Christmas and happy New Year, all while maintaining engagement and increasing productivity within your team.
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