Every business owner wants a team of hardworking employees who are ready to take the lead and bring inspiring thoughts and ideas to the table. But are you providing the kind of work environment that encourages such behavior? Here are a few things you can to encourage your employees to take initiative:
Be a Role Model for Your Employees
To encourage your employees to take initiative, you must lead by example. If you have recently implemented any new policies or processes, make sure you yourself are following them to a T. Be the kind of employee you would want working for your company. When your employees see you upholding your own company views and objectives, they’ll be more inclined to follow suit.
Provide a Supportive Environment
Before your employees can feel confident taking the lead, they’ll need to know they have the support of their colleagues and supervisors. No one wants to throw out an idea when they know there’s a risk of having it immediately shot down. That’s why it’s important to make the office feel like a safe space to share ideas and thoughts. Make sure your employees know their ideas will be taken seriously by welcoming them to speak up at weekly meetings and making yourself available to speak in private.
Don’t let your employees be intimidated by the risk of failure. Lend them your support, and if things don’t go as planned, help them find a solution instead of diminishing their efforts.
Empower Your Employees to Make Decisions
If you want your employees to take initiative, you must give them the power to make decisions and execute them. Show your employees that you trust their judgment by authorizing them to do things on their own, without jumping through hoops to get approval from the rungs of leadership.
Reward Achievement
If your employees don’t feel appreciated for taking initiative, they’ll be less likely to do it. Rewarding your employees for going above and beyond doesn’t always have mean bonuses and promotions. Something as simple as recognizing an employee’s actions in a company-wide email or during a team meeting can be enough to encourage your staff to keep raising their own standards and shooting for more.
Get Inspired With Tampa’s #1 Business Coaching Firm
When employees feel confident in taking initiative, they will be significantly more engaged in your company. And employees who are engaged in their work are 50 percent more productive than those who aren’t!
ActionCOACH Tampa Bay can help you assess your employee’s current level of engagement and develop processes to make improvements with our increasingly popular Employee Engagement Assessments. We have transformed countless businesses with our proven strategies for success. Give us a call today or contact us online to learn more about how we can help you succeed.