Have you ever noticed how every band member is tuned in to what the others are doing? Even the term for a performance, a “concert,” is defined as “agreement, accordance, or harmony.” Why? Because in order to make beautiful music, musicians have to listen to one another and play together. If they didn’t, you’d be in for several hours of really painful noise.
Of course, this is true in life and business as well. If you clamp your hands over your ears (whether literally or figuratively) and refuse to listen to or acknowledge others, you will face problem after problem.
As a leader, it’s important that you listen to your employees and take their opinions and ideas to heart. Consider this a regular “sound check” for your business.
5 Benefits of Listening to Your Employees
If your goal is to foster a positive work culture so you can attract and keep great talent… so you can create a great product and serve your customers well… so you can develop a healthy bottom line, and make your shareholders happy… you need to listen to your employees. (If that’s not your goal, it may be time to rethink why you are in business.)
Listening to your employees will:
Employees who feel heard and appreciated will be more satisfied at work. They will feel as if they belong and are a part of something bigger than themselves. These employees will work harder, be more productive, and help contribute to the success of your organization.
When you listen to your employees, you show them how much value they bring to the table. You are proving to them that you trust their opinions and ideas and that they can come directly to you if they ever have an issue. This is essential. When employees aren’t coming to you with their grievances, you can rest assured they are going to someone else. They could be talking to coworkers, customers, or a new company courting them. When they can come to you, you avoid the toxicity of a third party getting involved.
Let’s face it, if employees aren’t happy, they will look elsewhere. According to Gallup, turnover costs companies roughly $1 trillion annually. When an employee leaves, you not only have the cost of marketing the position and spending your time interviewing candidates. You will also lose money training the new hire, and lose several weeks to months of full productivity as they travel along the learning curve. Couple this with the possibility of hiring the wrong person the first time and losing a good employee simply because you didn’t listen to them… well, that just seems crazy!
Your employees are on the front lines of your business. Every day, they are interacting with your customers, working with your product, and getting a better grasp of what is and isn’t working. They will recognize issues well before management and senior leadership even get a whiff of the issue. Hearing your employees out will allow you to identify and nip problems in the bud, saving you thousands, if not millions, of dollars and ongoing headaches.
When employees know they can come to you and be heard and valued, they will share their creative ideas. They will feel safe thinking outside of the box and will know their creativity will be met with encouragement and inquisitiveness. The answers are always in the room, and your employees are the people who can provide them.
A True Open Door Policy
So many managers claim to have an “open door” policy, but what does this actually mean?
Employees must know that they can come to you with their problems and solutions. They must know that anything they say will be held in strict confidence (if necessary), and there will be no retaliation for speaking their truth.
Be accessible. Create a safe space for employees to open up. Work alongside them to solve any problems they face and encourage them to create without fearing judgment.
Conclusion
A rock band would never take the stage without doing a sound check and ensuring that everyone plays in concert. To run a successful business, you must do the same thing. Turn up the listening and show your employees they are valued and appreciated. In this environment, everyone thrives!
To learn more about rockstar leadership, visit https://marvellessmark.com/.