Lean Quote: Create an Energized Workplace

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Organizations should be deliberate in creating opportunities for employees to feel fulfilled in their work."   —  Dr. Alexander Lovell, Director of Research and Data Science at the O.C. Tanner Institute

As organizations continue to adjust to a new era of work and manage the uncertainty of a subsiding global pandemic and looming economic recession, what employees want most: connection, community, and fulfillment. A sense of community is more important now that employees are returning to the office and searching for fulfillment and connection, but unfortunately, many organizations' current programs are failing to meet evolving employee desires.

O.C. Tanner Institute collected and analyzed input from over 36,000 employees, leaders, and practitioners from 20 countries and reports that:

Nearly 1 in 3 employees don’t feel fulfilled at work which makes them:

• 399% more likely to actively look for another job
• 340% more likely to leave the organization within a year
• 47% less likely to put in a great deal of effort to help the organization succeed
• 71% less likely to promote the organization as a great place to work

Each year O.C. Tanner measures changes in the six core elements of workplace culture that together determine employee decisions to join, engage with, and remain at any place of work. They call them Talent Magnets because of their power to attract and connect people to their teams and organizations:

1. Purpose
An organization’s reason for being besides profits. It’s the difference it makes in the world, why the company exists. Employees need to feel connected to the purpose and understand how their job contributes to it. Once they do, their work takes on meaning. Organizations should clearly articulate the connection between work and purpose.

2. Opportunity
The chance to develop new skills, contribute to meaningful work, feel challenged, have a voice, and grow. Opportunity is more than the lure of promotions and pay increases. It’s about preparing and empowering employees to make decisions, inviting them to the table, and offering them projects that will expand their skills and relationships.

3. Success
The thrill of accomplishment, innovation, breaking barriers, playing on a winning team, and experiencing victories. Employees must find success at the individual, team, and organizational levels, and it should be nurtured and publicly celebrated.

4. Appreciation
Feeling valued for one’s contributions and being recognized for one’s worth. Appreciation is essential to employees—people need to know their leaders and peers notice and are grateful for their efforts and contributions. Appreciation is most effective when it’s delivered in timely, personal, and meaningful ways.

5. Wellbeing
Caring about the employee as a whole—their physical, emotional, social, and financial health. Wellbeing ensures employees can be their strongest, most capable, most authentic selves at work. A comprehensive approach to wellbeing requires leaders to create an environment of inclusivity, work-life integration, and connection.

6.  Leadership
The mentoring, coaching, inspiring, and facilitating that allow individuals, teams, and, ultimately, organizations to succeed. Great leaders co-create a shared purpose for their teams and empower their employees to do great work. As the most influential of the six Talent Magnets, leadership cultivates the other five.

Successful organizations are the ones reconnecting with their people by adopting a community mindset where employees find meaning in their work, believe that they belong, and experience greater personal fulfillment.

The Seven Characteristics of Servant Leadership

Servant leadership can help foster trust, accountability, growth and inclusion among workers. This will lead to increased productivity and happier customers and will help your business flourish.

The results of servant leadership are exponential: by leading as a servant, you multiply success and satisfaction — personal and professional, for you and your colleagues — above and beyond the limits of traditional leadership outcomes.

Servant Leaders, whose vision is to make people better in various ways, naturally exhibit many ideals in their day-to-day leadership of their people. Here are seven important elements of servant leadership:

• Strong character. A servant leader maintains integrity, makes decisions based on ethics and principles, displays humility, and seeks to serve a higher purpose in the organization.

• Puts people first. Successful servant leaders demonstrate care and concern for others and help employees meet their goals while encouraging personal growth.

• Excellent communicator. Communication skills are integral to any business leader, but especially a servant leader. Make a point of listening to and speaking with workers and inviting their feedback.

• Strong collaborator. Servant leadership means keeping an eye on the future and anticipating anything that might impact the organization. Maintain a positive vision and take decisive action when necessary.

• Has foresight. The servant leader must be a visionary, able to imagine possibilities and anticipate the future, with the courage to take action when necessary.

• Strategic thinker. Servant leaders must be comfortable navigating complex environments and be adaptable to change.

• Leader with moral authority. It is critical to establish trust and confidence in your workplace. Establish employees’ trust and confidence by adhering to quality standards, accepting and delegating responsibility, and fostering a culture that makes room for accountability.

Servant leadership is not a leadership style or technique as such. Rather it's a way of behaving that you adopt over the longer term. It has the potential to inspire high employee accountability and loyalty, management must still exhibit leadership qualities. Ultimately, servant  leadership does not allow for much control over employees, so managers must be confident in the abilities of both their team members and themselves.

Leading with Integrity

One of the keys to a positive and productive work environment is having leaders who act with integrity. Integrity in leaders refers to being honest, trustworthy, and reliable. Leaders with integrity act in accordance with their words (i.e. they practice what they preach) and own up to their mistakes, as opposed to hiding them, blaming their team, or making excuses. Integrity also involves following company policies, appropriately using company time and resources, and respecting one’s colleagues and direct reports. It is important to remember that a leader’s behavior reflects on not only their own reputation, but also on the reputation of the organization.

Integrity provides several benefits to both leaders and the organizations. For instance, research has linked greater integrity with increased workplace performance. Additionally, leaders with integrity foster greater trust and satisfaction from their direct reports, who are more likely to follow suit. Employees serving under high integrity leaders demonstrate more positive workplace behaviors and fewer negative workplace behaviors. Moreover, employees who trust their leaders to have integrity are likely to work harder, perform better, and have greater company loyalty.

In assessing your level of integrity, ask yourself the following questions:

1.    I always act with positive intent

2.    I do not avoid answering questions truthfully, even when the issue is tough ex. layoffs

3.    I own up to my mistakes and take steps to not repeat them

4.    I am willing to say what I’m thinking, even when I’m in the minority

5.    I treat others fairly and respectfully regardless of position/title

6.    I lead by example

7.    I always fulfill my promises/commitments

8.    I’m respectful of others’ time and am always punctual

9.    I call others out when the work values are not supported

10. I don’t make excuses for poor behaviors or actions displayed by myself or others

11. I address disruptive behaviors and conflict quickly and respectfully

12. I am not easily influenced by those more senior to me when things seem "off" and have the confidence to be true to myself

13. I encourage collaboration for the attainment of results

14. I make an effort to build a work culture that encompasses trust

15. I give credit when and where credit is due

When your organization has leadership committed to integrity, it can identify priorities and goals to measure improvement. This framework will make it easier to reference issues related to business integrity in your regular reporting as well as quickly address any issues as they arise. This is a culture that will permeate throughout the organization, influencing your internal reward structures, interactions with customers and suppliers, and your relationships with investors.

Lean Quote: Leadership Starts with Integrity

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"It is true that integrity alone won’t make you a leader, but without integrity you will never be one."   —  Zig Ziglar

Most leaders think their followers put vision or communication or problem solving skills first. Of course, all of those attributes are important, but what difference do they make if you are not trusted? Does it matter what vision you provide if there is little trust that it’s best for all? Does it matter how well you communicate if what is said can’t be trusted? Does it matter how charismatic you are if only a handful are willing to follow you?

Integrity gets lost…one degree of dishonesty at a time. There are no varying degrees of integrity. A leader is judged to have integrity or not based on what is seen. Minor lies can become a major problem. As minor as lies may seem, employees do not forget integrity mistakes.

There are 4 key ways a leader can earn employees trust:

1. Keep your promises. You don’t have to promise things just to make employees feel good. They are more interested in being able to depend on what you promise than in feeling good. Just keep the promises you do make and trust will follow.
2. Speak out for what you think is important. Employees can’t read your mind. If employees have to guess how you feel about something, they may guess wrong. Tell them how you feel and why. This builds respect.
3. Error on the side of fairness. Be fair to all.  Things are not always clearly right or wrong. Sometimes you have to make difficult decisions that affect many people. Sometimes those decisions include having to de-hire some employees. Be fair at all times – regardless of the type or decisions you have to make.
4. Do what you say you are going to do. Just let you “yes” be yes or your “no” mean no. When you say you’re going to do something, your employees should be able to “consider it done.”

It all starts with integrity. Your employees will follow only if you have earned their trust!

How Leaders Can Ensure Team Safety and Goal Attainment

Image Source: Unsplash 

As a business leader or manager, it’s your job to ensure that your team can meet and exceed their goals and milestones and to do so as safely and stress-free as possible. Yes, feeling a bit on edge can help some employees to drive results, but they shouldn’t be so uneasy that it affects their work and well-being. You can combine safety and goal attainment in many ways and bring your company to the next level, by starting with these tips.

Set Reasonable Goals And Cut Out Unnecessary Tasks

It’s natural for a business to want to set lofty goals and expect work to be done as quickly as possible to maximize profit. However, while that strategy might work for the short term, at some point, your employees will get burned out, and you’ll find more errors in the work. Too many errors can cut down on your company’s success over time, and once your reputation takes a hit, it can be tough to come back.

With that in mind, one of the most straightforward strategies to reduce human error is setting reasonable deadlines. Bring in your team, see if they feel rushed, analyze if it affects their work, and make the proper adjustments. If you must adjust your corporate guidelines and extend deadlines a few more days, but errors become practically nonexistent, then you’re on the right track. Another idea is to create an overall long-term goal but then add numerous short-term goals that are easier to meet along the way. Then you’ll know everyone’s on the right page.

While you’re analyzing the workflow, look at the tasks that make up the overall project and find the repetitive assignments that bog down the employee’s days. When workers are forced to spend time doing monotonous, repetitive tasks, they can tend to get burned out. If they don’t think what they’re doing is making a difference, they may stop putting forth the same effort or showing up altogether. Burnout is not only bad for business but also for the employee’s well-being. Plus, it can lead to issues down the road, including depression.

If you still need to complete these repetitive tasks as part of your business, then a solution may be automation. Computers can do monotonous tasks and do them well. They never get tired or complain, so it’s a worthwhile investment if it makes sense within your industry.

Take Stress Out Of The Equation

The burnout we’ve discussed begins as stress and often accompanies feelings of being overworked or underappreciated. The solution is to create a positive work environment so everyone is happy, and in turn, they’ll be more productive.

Stressed workers can put themselves and others at risk. Stressed employees may be so distracted that they can accidentally cut corners or forget to take the proper precautions to keep themselves safe, like failing to wear a hard hat or misusing electronic equipment. Stress can also lead to poor decision-making under pressure.

To reduce stress and increase productivity, managers can allow employees to take stress management training sessions. You can also host team-building activities so they feel more comfortable at work and with each other. The best way to ensure that the team is safe and productive is to be transparent and have open communication across the board.

As a leader, you need an open-door policy and allow the employees to come to you when they need help or have suggestions. Keeping communication channels open and providing employees with different ways to check in can also be a good way to boost team morale, especially if this feedback is used to refine workflows and give everyone the chance to participate.

Training And Recognition

Once you streamline a solid and safe workflow, you must keep up with it by having ongoing training sessions throughout the year. Train on the best methods to avoid burnout, the ways to complete the most work without stress, and the signs of excess anxiety, so an employee can ask for help when needed.

If your employees are hurt on the job, your team may never meet your goals, so it’s also important to have general safety training once a day or annually, depending on the dangers in your industry. During the training, touch on safety and health policies, emergency procedures, workers’ rights, and how to report hazards. In addition to the general training, provide safety training for specific roles that deal with unique hazards. If your industry is particularly dangerous, then hold regular safety every morning to cover all bases and ask for questions.

You can drive home the importance of safety and goal attainment by implementing one or several employee recognition initiatives to show appreciation for adherence to the rules. There are many safety recognition programs online that you can borrow, such as Safety Bucks, where you provide pretend currency whenever an employee does an act correctly or spots a safety violation. They can turn them in for prices or office perks. Another idea is to hand out safety certificates or host an awards ceremony.

On top of that, you can also publicly recognize employees who find a way to streamline their work, hit deadlines, and provide exceptional quality in their work. Mention them during a group huddle or in the company newsletter. The employee will be thrilled that they received attention, and they will continue to impress. Plus, the other team members will see the recognition and want to work at that level so they can also receive praise.

Conclusion

A company with a strong culture of safety and the right processes in place has a great chance of succeeding and doing so with a happy and driven workforce. Always find ways to prioritize your employee's safety and mental health. You’ll have a satisfied team and they’ll thank you through their work.

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business topics are his favorite. When he isn't writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

Labor Day 2023

Labor Day is so much more than a Monday off and the unofficial end to summer; here are some fascinating statistics about the holiday’s history, past and present.

Labor Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday of September, falls on September 5 this year. While many people know it simply as the reason for a three-day weekend or the unofficial end to summer, the holiday is actually meant to symbolize and pay tribute to American workers, giving many a much-needed day off.

The holiday was created by the labor movement, which fought to regulate American work schedules and other worker rights, in the late 19th century during the Industrial Revolution in the U.S.

The national holiday has quite the decorated history from its origins to now, when millions use it as an opportunity to travel, party, and shop for holiday deals. Here are some fascinating statistics and fun facts about the holiday’s past and present.

1. The 40-hour workweek didn’t become law until 1940

Today, we know the 40-hour workweek and 8-hour workday as standard, though people in some professions do report working much more than this. However, that standard didn’t come to fruition until 1940, despite the fact that labor unions asked Congress to pass laws limiting workday hours nearly a century earlier.

In 1938, as pressure was mounting on Washington, Congress passed a Fair Labor Standards Act that limited the workweek to 44 hours, or 8.8 hours per day. That was later amended to 40 hours in 1940. However, this move was first requested all the way back in 1866, when the National Labor Union asked Congress to make the 8-hour workday law.

(Source: CNBC)

2. In the 1800s, many Americans worked 12-hour days

In the 19th century, the workers of America had good reason to protest. Many were working six, or even seven, days per week and they’d often be working 12-hour days. Some reports say these employees worked up to 14 hours per day.

Before federal laws were put into place, children as young as five and six could also be found working in mills, factories, and mines across the country. Just to make ends meet, these employees — who were often very poor and had recently immigrated to the U.S. — faced incredibly unsafe working conditions that didn’t provide access to clean air or breaks throughout the day.

(Source: History.com, Chicago History Museum)

3. Oregon was the first state to recognize Labor Day in 1887

New York was the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, however, Oregon was the first to officially pass a law creating the holiday in the state in February 1887. Later in 1887, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York all passed laws to make it a holiday as well.

 

By the end of the 1880s, Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania had also passed laws to make Labor Day a holiday. Twenty-three other states followed suit before Congress made it a federal holiday in 1894.

(Source: U.S. Census Bureau)

4. Other parts of the world celebrate on May 1

Other countries celebrate International Workers’ Day or Labor Day on May 1. May 1 was chosen because it was the anniversary of the Haymarket Affair in Chicago, which was a violent confrontation between labor protestors and the police.

(Source: Britannica)

5. 53% of Americans planned to travel for Labor Day in 2022

As Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, many try to get one more trip in over the long weekend. This year is no exception.

This year’s survey by The Vacationer found that 53% of Americans plan to travel at some point over Labor Day Weekend. Among those traveling, most (36%) said they would be traveling by car. About 14% of respondents said they would travel by plane, and 3% planned to use public transportation.

About half of the survey respondents said that high gas prices would not affect their Labor Day travel plans.

(Source: The Vacationer)

6. Nearly 55% of people said they’d be attending a BBQ or cookout

In The Vacationer’s 2021 Labor Day survey, 54.6% of respondents said they’d be attending a barbecue or cookout for the holiday — the most popular response by a longshot.

Some other popular responses were going to the beach (26% of respondents) or going to see fireworks (23.3%). Some of the less popular activities on the list were attending a sporting event (6.65% of respondents), going to the movies (10.33%), and attending some sort of parade (12.43%).

7. The average American full-time employee works 8.5 hours a day

According to estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American full-time employee works about 8.53 hours per day. The numbers vary a bit depending on how much education a person has and if they work more than one job.

Those with just one job work about 8.07 hours per day on average and those who work multiple jobs work about 8.40 hours, according to the bureau. By contrast, those who are employed in a part-time capacity work about 5.62 hours per day.

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)

8. 57% of Americans left vacation days unused in 2020

According to a survey from WalletHub, more than half of Americans (57%) left vacation days unused in 2020. While it’s entirely possible that some of that unused time off was due to the pandemic and the fact that the travel industry came to a screeching halt in March 2020, Americans left plenty of paid time off on the table in 2021 as well when COVID-19 vaccines were widely available and travel restrictions were loosening up.

On average, Americans left about 4.6 days of paid time off unused in 2021. Those numbers will, hopefully, drop a bit this year, as the U.S. Travel Association predicted that Americans will spend 3.5% more on travel in 2022.

(Sources: WalletHub, Fortune)

9. In 2021, 57% of Americans had also gone more than a year without a vacation

At the time of WalletHub’s 2021 survey, 57% of Americans had also said that it had been more than a year since their last vacation of any sort — and not all time off is being used for relaxing or leisurely activities.

This comes despite the fact that research has found that the large majority (79%) of full-time employees in the country believe that taking time off is important for job satisfaction and overall health and well-being.

(Source: WalletHub, Fortune)

10. 818 hot dogs are eaten per second between Memorial Day and Labor Day

To conclude our Labor Day stats on a tasty note, WalletHub’s 2021 survey found that about 818 hot dogs were consumed per second in the unofficial summer season — between Memorial Day and Labor Day. That’s a whole lot of summer BBQing.

Americans reportedly spent a whopping $7.5 billion on hot dogs and sausages in supermarkets during 2021.

And if you’re wondering which U.S. city consumes the most hot dogs, Los Angeles takes the number 1 spot, beating out other major contenders like New York and Chicago. LA residents consume about 30 million pounds of hot dogs per year.

(Source: WalletHub, National Hot Dog and Sausage Council)

So, whatever your plans are this Labor Day weekend — whether you’re planning a big end-of-the-season beach getaway, attending a parade and fireworks show, or simply planning to spend a quiet day off at home, make sure you say thank you to those who do have to go into work. It’s one small way to keep the original spirit of the working American’s holiday alive.

Lean Quote: How to Relax This Labor Day

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for. Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us."   —  Maya Angelou

It seems like just yesterday that we were reuniting with loved ones during Memorial Day Weekend and the 4th of July. Even though summer days are longer, they somehow go by faster. Though summer technically doesn’t end until a couple of weeks after Labor Day Weekend, the holiday often marks the unofficial end of the season.

Soon, we’ll back to the busy fall season. Many people won’t get another day off until Thanksgiving. That makes it all the more important to spend the three-day weekend in a way that helps you feel relaxed and happy. Here are a few ideas for what to do on Labor Day.

Consider Some Off-The-Grid Relaxing

Since many consider Labor Day the end to the summer season, typical summer getaways, such as beaches and lakes, are likely going to be packed. If relaxation is what you’re after, it may be better to consider a more off-the-grid weekend away. That may mean looking into more out-of-the-way camping spots or maybe even taking a bit of a “staycation” and indulging in some “me time” at home.

Volunteer in the Community

Use your day off to give something back to your community. So many of the jobs that are still part of unions are in public service. You can plan a little something to give back to the teachers or nurses in your life. Put together care packages and little thank you cards. The entire family can get involved. This may not seem like the most relaxing activity, but the feeling you’ll get from giving back and helping out your community will bring you lots of joy on the holiday weekend. Spend a few hours doing something that will make you feel good and help someone else out in a big way.

Get out of Routine and Be Spontaneous

Be inspired to get out of the routine and discover something new about where you live. Find a parade, go see a movie, find a pool: in short, do something you wouldn’t normally do on a regular weekend. Take a hike. Explore a museum in your city you’ve always wanted to go to. Have a picnic in the backyard.

Celebrate With A Labor Day Cookout

The most common way to celebrate any summer holiday is with a cookout. So, fire up your grill, and instead of just hamburgers and hotdogs poolside, add ribs and chicken wings to the menu along with other staples of a great cookout. Make it a potluck by asking your guest to bring easy-to-make dishes like potato salad, baked beans, grilled corn, or pasta salad.

Consider Bringing the BBQ to You

Americans love grilling season (clearly, if you look at the sheer amount of hot dogs the country consumes every year). But putting together a menu for you and your loved ones may feel like an unnecessary hassle at the end of a long, hot summer. Your local eateries may be offering great Labor Day deals as well.

Gathering for a Labor Day party is all about chilling out, reminiscing, and making new memories. Whether you go all out with a big theme or just hang in the backyard, the important part is the quality time together. Enjoy the long weekend with your friends and family!