Leaders across the globe are rolling out new 2022 goals and objectives on the heels of last year’s performance. The typical Q1 launch of leadership vision, strategic priorities, and sacred key milestones of success will begin to trickle from the board room to employee inboxes, and if they’re lucky, make their way into a team meeting for explanation and discussion. The organization is still tumbling out of a break-neck speed, end-of-year finish with beliefs that the forced drive enabled us to meet goals or even come out better than projected. Immediately after, the expectation is the winter break, for those lucky enough to enjoy it, resupplied the energy spent by all and all are stronger for it.
Are We All In This Together
Are we really feeling stronger? Does leadership honestly think their teams believe we’re all in this together and the pressure was worth it? There are likely a few genuine yes answers out there. There are some truly remarkable leaders who thoughtfully coach their teams along, allow imperfections, and nurture up. However, everything in the news about resignation trends read more like the last two years were the epitome of “survival of the fittest” in every sense of the phrase. The people you have left nodding their head in agreement to the drumbeat of the vision and accelerated goals may not all be all-in. If you value them, there will not be a more important performance review season than this one.
Accountability Meets Empathy
Leaders, you are probably managing a tough scorecard from last year. Balancing fires, resources, turnover, and new work policies is resulting in very few scorecards gleaming green. The last few years probably highlighted some good and bad in your teams, and their leaders, as well. Employees are stretched thin, feeling overwhelmed, getting frustrated, and probably a little – or a lot – depressed. Inevitably, executives and HR teams will expect your performance reviews coming out of last year to reflect the same balanced nature – per policies put into place years ago by global firms and adopted throughout organizations across industries. What is different now is the amount of turnover and open roles we face and the impact left on those that remain.
This is the time to be preparing for performance review season and incorporating real plans for recovery in the future. We must calibrate our leadership messages and build more confidence and capability in our ability to lead business and people. And, we must be prepared to lead healthy teams moving forward. Are your leaders focused on the right review metrics? Are already burnt-out employees going to come out of reviews feeling accomplished and appreciated or defeated?
If HR hasn’t told you yet – you won’t accomplish any 2022 goals with teams constantly changing and turning over. At many organizations the workloads were heavy and the hours were long before the pandemic. Today, the resource constraints are exhausting and the pressure to deliver under impossible odds is real and it is taking a devastating toll on mental health. If we are all in this together, like your vision and organizational mantra probably states, we must survive and revive it together.
The HR Seat At the Strategic Performance Table
If you haven’t been thinking about the health goals of your organization as one of your many metrics, talk to your HR team. They have probably been telling you, you need a new solution. You are asking them to solve the revolving door of employees and hire faster – while you are probably looking at unmet daily yard-stick metrics. It’s time to put some real effort and resources into retention. Newsflash – a tshirt with a motivational statement isn’t the answer.
Now more than ever leaders need to build confidence. Is your management skilled at multi-dimensional reviews, or are they promoted high-performers not trained for leadership who are measuring to a performer’s metrics? Are your leaders experienced at coaching or just delivering observational criticism with no real support structure in place or tools for achieving success? Even though our work-life blend is more blended than ever with video glimpses of pets and personal life, don’t assume people want to confide in their bosses. Don’t assume people trust their bosses – showing up for work with a smile is often just a survival skill.
People need role models who are demonstrating personal success and make the necessary sacrifices of themselves for the team to win. People need coaches and confidants to get to a place of mental and physical health at work. It’s time to stop talking about it, stop integrating wellness as a marketing tool for hiring, and start turning the corner to WE. Employee retention will come out of employee wellness – mentally, physically, and metabolically. We are successful, we are strong, we are unstoppable. After all, you can’t have wellness without we.
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