Avionics News August 2018 - 38

BUSINESS BASICS

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Lonely employees experience lower-quality interactions
with their co-workers and supervisors than non-lonely ones.
That may lead to low self-image, negative views of colleagues, reduced trust, a growing unwillingness to improve
relationships, and even withdrawal from their teams.
Furthermore, as "problem employees," they don't receive
additional help and resources from their supervisors - such as
emotional support, extra tools and feedback - to accomplish
their tasks. They also receive fewer stretch tasks to build their
skills, and they receive less support and encouragement from
their peers.
Over time, their performance diminishes accordingly.
Managers who can recognize this early can help bring the
employee back into a more-productive place, according to
Hakan Ozcelik, a management professor at California State
University, Sacramento. That can also help one employee's
loneliness from becoming contagious.
Forging connections
The onus is on businesses to create human connections
that address loneliness and burnout for a simple reason: We
spend more time with co-workers than we spend with family,
friends, clubs, church groups or other social outlets, according
to Murthy. By that factor alone, embracing a workplace culture where valuable interactions can occur allows you to have
the greatest impact on improving the happiness and well-being
of your lonely co-workers - while boosting their performance
along the way.
Building that culture involves several tacks. At the personal
level, know that studies indicate that peers are particularly
adept at recognizing when their co-workers are lonely, according to Barsade. They should feel empowered to help reduce
the pain of those employees by displaying empathy and sensitivity - for example, asking the affected employee to lunch.
That can reduce the feeling of being an outsider, according to
Ozcelik, and even reverse the descent into a cycle of isolation.
A little bit of kindness can go a long way - by asking how
their day is going or by offering genuine support. That one-onone attention can turn someone's day around, and ultimately
even their attitude, according to the late business consultant
Jim Rohn.
Likewise, your supervisors should work to create quality
relationships with their team. Unfortunately, according to the
2016 Global Talent Management and Rewards and Global
Workforce studies, more than half of employees reported
they didn't feel like their manager had the time to address the
"people-side" aspects of their jobs, such as supporting their
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team, connecting with them, and helping them stay motivated,
engaged and committed to their tasks.
Reverse that trend by connecting with your people. Be present in conversations with these employees; devote your entire
attention, listen actively, and ask questions to learn more when
they stop by to talk. Offer specific praise for work done well
and thank them for their effort; this not only leaves them feeling appreciated, but it also helps strengthen their bond with
you - which is exactly what they need, according to Rohn.
Work to understand the challenges they face, both at work and
outside - for example, with caregiving duties, health issues,
work tasks and work-life balance - then provide the support
they need. Get to know them and show you care.
As an organization, you can also shape your shop to create
a compassionate environment. Strong social connection isn't
about knowing everyone, it's about knowing a few supportive
people well, according to Murthy. Your goal is to encourage
employees to genuinely care about each other, that kindness
is a core value, and that there's no place for negative relationships at your shop.
Do that in several ways, including celebrating team successes with monthly lunches, quarterly awards ceremonies,
and the like, all of which creates a sense of belonging and
attachment, according to Murthy. Likewise, have your senior
leaders model social connections with your employees. Expect
your people to reach out to provide help to their team members. Provide onboarding partners to new employees, as well
as mentors and work coaches to existing ones - all of which
can help them build developmental networks that provide
advice and encouragement.
You can also help employees connect through team-building projects - such as volunteer efforts, workplace committees, book clubs, sports teams, pot-luck lunches and so on - to
give small groups a venue to connect, have fun and unwind
together. In these more-casual environments, employees can
feel more comfortable sharing details and stories from their
personal lives, which helps everyone feel more understood as
individuals, according to Murthy. And you can create social
spots at your shop that allow your people to socialize for a
few minutes without distracting other employees - such as
using an empty space as an area with couches or tables for
conversation.
By taking your emotional culture more seriously, you're
building a strong foundation to help your employees connect, according to Barsade, and that's exactly the kind of
environment they need to feel appreciated and welcomed
- especially if they're struggling. When you do, you'll go
a long way to show your employees that you recognize the
difference between sometimes having to work alone and
always having to be alone. q

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News August 2018