In some form, most employers say they want to align employee wants and needs with those of the business. They want to function as partners or teammates. Achieving mutual satisfaction, however, can be more difficult than they imagined. After decades of experience as employer, employee, employment attorney, mediator, human resources supervisor, and manager, I’ve identified the below strategies to help you create the mutually beneficial partnerships you seek.
The Root Cause: Unmet Expectations
Conflict arises when expectations aren’t met. Too often, those expectations are not shared. When they are, they are vague, and no one clarifies them. New employees are left to guess how to be successful in their jobs. Managers do what they think their employers want and need from them. Employer entities assume it’s obvious what is expected. There’s an employment partnership, but it’s not effective. They’re partners in confusion and conflict, which is not what any of them expected when they agreed to come together in furtherance of what they thought were compatible goals. Fortunately, this is all fixable. Clarifying expectations is one of the most important actions you can take to foster effective employment partnerships.
The Role of the Employer Entity: Laying the Foundation
As a senior executive leading an employer entity, you hold the key to a harmonious workplace. Regularly making the Seven Choices of masters discussed in DIY Conflict Resolution is vital to clear focus when confronting the inevitable conflicts that will arise in your organization.
Choices:
- Forgive yourself for having conflicts. All workplaces have them. Your role is to guide your employees through them.
- Acknowledge yourself. The CEO role is incredibly lonely because few people will ever hold such a position. You are unlikely to get much genuine acknowledgment for the many things you do to keep the business going. As the leader, you will need to humbly generate it for yourself and show your employees how to do the same.
- Forgive the world and your employees. Being able to look beyond what happened to what’s possible is key to your organization’s success. Almost everything is fixable, so don’t get caught up in the blame and shame game.
- Free the emotions. Whenever you feel yourself getting angry, worried, or frustrated, find a private place and let whatever comes up flow. Contrary to popular belief, holding emotions in is not a sign of strength. The dam will eventually break due to the pressure. Have a safe process for releasing it.
- Clear your mind. Make sure you are undistracted when communicating with your team. Put aside all your thoughts and feelings about what should be happening or what might. Be open to solutions appearing in places and forms you didn’t expect.
- Assume you know nothing. Your knowledge and experience will only get you so far in this ever-changing world. Harness a beginner’s mind to ensure you are not cutting off possible solutions to common business problems.
- Listen with your third ear. People can tell when you’re not fully present with them. They know when you are listening to them only so you can restate your position. Try listening for what isn’t being said–the hurts that they carry with them and the ones you can heal, not as a savior but a guide.
The Role of the Manager: Facilitating Success
Similar to executives, managers play a crucial role in reinforcing expectations and facilitating employee success. They may also benefit from the Seven Choices above. They allow managers to effectively:
- Honor the agreements they made with the employer entity
- Reinforce for employees the expectations of the employer entity
- (MOST IMPORTANTLY) Help employees meet those expectations
The Role of the Employee: Integrity and Contribution
Employees are also responsible for creating employment as a mutually beneficial partnership. Make the Seven Choices as often as you need to. Respect yourself and the promises you made by:
- Learning about the employer’s vision, goals, and expectations
- Giving a fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay–work when you’re supposed to be working and while you’re at work
- Being solutions-oriented
- Speaking up when you need help, don’t understand, or feel treated unfairly