According to a recent Gallup poll, 35% of Americans named unemployment as the biggest problem facing our country. The economy ranked second (29%). People have lost jobs. People can’t find new jobs. People are taking part-time work when they want full-time. People are taking pay cuts and reduced benefits. Plus, additional studies show that about 1 million workers want to look for work, but don’t think they will have any luck. So it’s easy to see why people are discouraged.
Can this be turned around? Can individual companies lift this gloomy disposition or will it take more? There are a lot of moving parts that need to work in order to improve the employment situation. Think about what you can do inside your organization to infuse some hope. Even small things can make a difference.
Questions for your team:
- Do you have or are you considering career path meetings for employees?
- Do you have regular recognition practices – formal and informal?
- When was the last time you sat down and asked your employees how they are feeling in their jobs?
