Opinion: When work independence becomes too much of a good thing

Dear Mark: I understand the need for and benefit of work independence, but can an employee have too much independence? What are some of the signs? –E.O.

Dear E.O.: While a very effective tool for motivating and retaining good employees, work independence can be too much of a good thing. There are three signs to note. No. 1: Is the employee overwhelmed? Are they missing deadlines frequently? Has their morale or attitude grown more negative recently? If you get a ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then visit with your employee and find out what’s going on. Even the most dedicated employee can only take being overwhelmed for so long. No. 2: Is your employee underwhelmed? An under-challenged workload is more common than you might think. If your employee falls in this category, they usually show subtle signs such as routinely working outside the boundaries given or procrastinating on the work until just before it’s due. Try assigning more work or special projects to your employee. No. 3: Is your employee disengaged? If the work-independence you granted is not welcomed, then your employee’s job satisfaction may decline. For example, a large manufacturing company had a huge employee morale issue. The main source of the problem was that the workers did not want the increased autonomy they had been given. Some of your most dependable employees may have no desire for increased autonomy, because it often leads to more accountability from their perspective.

Dear Mark: How does trust economically benefit a company? –K.B.

Dear K.B.: In a word: hugely. High trust helps organizations reduce win-lose mentalities and hidden agendas, builds open dialogue and communications, and helps create intrinsic motivation to act more quickly on achieving company initiatives and goals. Several extensive studies confirm that high trust contributes to a healthier bottom line and creates greater stockholder value. For more on trust, I recommend “The Speed of Trust” by Stephen M.R. Covey.

Dear Mark: The idea of measuring results isn’t easy for our company because our services are hard to gauge. Is it alright to look at the efforts our people put in and forego measuring results? –B.B.

Dear B.B.: I wouldn’t advise it. Your organization’s ability to be competitive and viable in the long term will rest primarily upon whether or not acceptable results are consistently produced. Recognize the good efforts of your employees and do it as often as it is warranted. But when it comes to doling out monetary rewards or corrections, do that based upon results. To make your employee results easier to measure, try assessing outcomes over a longer timeline. Results can be more easily identified over time when no definitive, credible methods exist for immediate evaluation.

Workplace Solutions

Do you have a workplace question you’d like answered? Ask business consultant Mark Holmes via e-mail at sbj@sbj.net, and he may answer it in an upcoming Leadership First column.

Join in on workplace conversations with Holmes during Leadership First Friday, a monthly lunch discussion covering workplace topics and business books. The next Leadership First Friday – 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Dec. 7 at Great Southern’s Operations Center, 218 S. Glenstone Ave. – covers John C. Maxwell’s “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.” Purchase tickets at sbj.net or call (417) 831-3238.

Mark Holmes, owner of Springfield-based Consultant Board Inc., consults and speaks nationally on increasing sales, service and employee performance. He can be reached at info@thepeoplekeeper.com.[[In-content Ad]]