You start a new employee and before long there appears to be a problem, not many know about it because it is cleverly hidden. The employee is starting to lose motivation and interest for the job. Like anything a person can get bored, the role may be too repetitive or un-challenging in some way.

Boredom
Our employee has learnt to hide the boredom; however the initial rise in productivity the company experienced when the worker thoroughly learnt the job is now starting to fade. In time the worker can develop a range of symptoms that may take a long time to surface in any noticeable way. These can be lack of interest in quality, as well as the business in general.

What’s motivating them?
For many the motivation of earning money can be enough to keep them going for a very long time, yet research shows that people often have other motivators in the workplace. This can be the sense of purpose they feel, through to the sensation of having their self-esteem and confidence raised. Social interaction with others also rates highly.

With this in mind many employers can easily alter the routine of the staff and offer a range of options to assist the development of the other motivators. Our worker in this example has hidden the lack of interest to the point where the low productivity levels when noticed are now much lower than when the problem first surfaced.

The 1% factor
In other ways small problems can surface and be ignored by the key staff, then before long another and another arise until the small problems when added up become a huge challenge to overcome. I call this the 1% factor; a hundred small problems can soon take over.

To solve it? Ask…
If you are interested in solving these challenges ask your customers for solutions, your internal customers that is (Staff). They will (if empowered to respond) give you the necessary information to get the 1% factor happening in reverse, they will see the problem and nip it in the bud. However they need to have the ‘permission’ to do so.

Too many staff see a problem and do nothing about it. Some would say, “they don’t care”, others would say “they are lazy” This comes about because of our perceptions about what people are doing in the workplace. Staff will often “follow the job description and do as they are told.” Avoiding any extras due to many factors, “Tall poppy syndrome”, not wanting to “make waves and keep the status quo”. Some organisations have even folded and gone to the wall with attitudes like this.

Avoid the virus
In no time at all a small problem can become contagious and before long a ‘virus’ sets in. This can manifest itself in many forms, possibly the worst is employee boredom. Imagine employing a person and within 6 months they leave and do something else. You replace them to find the same thing happens, before long you could be excused for thinking that good staff is hard to find.

Maximise the potential of your staff by meeting with them personally and in a team environment to ensure they have the chance to let you know how they feel and what they could do to improve things in the workplace. Listen carefully; you may hear some things that you don’t want to and others that may surprise you. In the end you will be more informed and able to act on the information.

Armed with information and a greater understanding of your employees you can turn the 1% factor around, and get small things to work for you, not against you. If you are a small business or a large one the principles remain the same. Plan what you want, do it, check the results and act on the information to ensure the cycle can continue to get good results for your business.

Stumble it!