Cómo preguntar si un empleado es feliz en el trabajo

Nuestra capacidad para escuchar y conectarnos se ve afectada, en gran medida, por nuestro estado de ánimo cuando iniciamos una conversación.

Si su colega comienza a compartir frustraciones sobre su trabajo, recuerde que detrás de cada queja hay un compromiso. Evite la tentación de intentar proponer soluciones. 

Recuerde, las acciones más simples a menudo tienen el mayor impacto.

How to Ask Whether an Employee Is Happy at Work
Christopher Littlefield
c.2022 Harvard Business School Publishing Corp.

Christopher Littlefield is the founder of Beyond Thank You.

From HBR.org

One mistake leaders often make is assuming that because a team member isn’t complaining, they are happy at work.

According to <a href=»https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx» rel=»nofollow»>research</a> conducted by Gallup, 52% of employees who exited voluntarily said that their manager or organization could have done something to prevent them from leaving their job. While you can’t make everyone stay, you can, as a manager, improve your retention rates if you take the time to check in with your team.

Most employees are familiar with the concept of an exit interview, during which a representative from human resources interviews a departing employee on why they’re leaving. A “stay conversation” is when a leader checks in to make sure an employee’s work experience makes them want to stay. I recommend having these conversations quarterly and also setting them up around key milestones like work anniversaries.

Here’s how to prepare for these conversations and what to say when you meet with your team member.

SET THE CONTEXT

Let your colleague know this is not a performance conversation or a meeting to talk about projects, but instead a check-in to understand how they are doing and how you can best support them. You could say: “I wanted to let you know that I really appreciate having you on our team. As we start the new quarter, I wanted to set some time aside to just check in to make sure you’re having a good experience at work.”

Then, encourage your team member to think about three or four of the following topics before you meet:

— How have they been feeling about work in general?

— What part of the job are they enjoying the most?

— What aspect of the job do they enjoy the least?

— How do they feel about balancing work and home?

— What has been their biggest challenge this quarter?

— What can you, as their manager, do differently to support them and the team?

— Do they feel like they’re learning and growing? If not, is there anything you can do as their manager to improve their experience?

MENTALLY TRANSITION TO THE CONVERSATION

Our ability to listen and connect is largely affected by our frame of mind when we enter a conversation. If you’re scrambling to finish a project or rushing from another meeting, it’s unlikely you’ll be focused and empathetic with your team member when you finally meet. When you schedule your conversation, make sure you have a buffer before you meet. I recommend taking a few minutes to reflect on the questions below beforehand:

— Who is the person I am speaking with, and what does it take for them to do their job each day?

— If this person left tomorrow, how would it affect me and the team?

START THE MEETING OFF RIGHT

Whether you’re meeting in person or via phone or video, minimize any distractions. Turn off notifications, close your email and chat programs, and put away your computer and phone.

Then, communicate the context of your meeting. Remind your team member that you are here to listen, understand their experience and see if there is anything you can do to improve it.

PROBE, THEN <i>REALLY</i> LISTEN

In my experience, nervous leaders will enter conversations expecting the worst, when things are actually going well.

As your team member shares their experiences, listen closely, then probe by celebrating and reflecting on what’s working. Here are sample responses that both celebrate and reflect on what your colleague discloses:

<i>“I’ve been really enjoying working from home. I feel like we are much more efficient as a team.”</i>

— Celebrate: “That’s great to hear. I feel the same way.”

— Reflect: “What do you see has been making the difference?”

<i>“I have really been enjoying working on the launch of the new app.”</i>

— Celebrate: “I’m happy to hear that. I love the passion you have put into it.”

— Reflect: “What have you enjoyed most about working on it?”

LOOK FOR HIDDEN COMMITMENTS

If your colleague starts sharing frustrations about their work, remember that behind every complaint is a commitment. Avoid the temptation to try to propose solutions. Instead, listen for their commitment, reframe it and ask what you could do to address it together.

<i>“I feel like I’m in nonstop meetings every day, and I’m up until midnight daily to get my actual work done.”</i>

— Reframe: “I get you’re committed to doing great work, and it’s frustrating when you don’t feel you have the time during the day to get it done.”

— Reflect: “What do you feel we could do that would make a difference for you?”

<i>“I feel like I’m doing the same thing every day, and I’m not getting anywhere in my career.”</i>

— Reframe: “I get that you’re really committed to growing, and right now you feel like that is not happening at all.”

— Reflect: “What do you feel we could do that would make a difference for you?”

AGREE ON NEXT STEPS

In the last 10 minutes of your conversation, shift your discussion to the next steps. If there are items you did not have time to discuss, schedule a meeting to continue the conversation. If there are follow-up actions needed, put them in writing so your team member knows you fully heard them out.

For example, you may write: “Thank you for your openness in our meeting today. I really appreciate you sharing all that you did. As promised, I’ll provide these follow-up actions and send you an invitation now for another conversation in two months. And, if anything comes up beforehand, please know we will always make time to check in.”

While this may feel like extra work, it’s crucial to have such conversations. Remember, the simplest actions often have the biggest impact.