Move toward the positive and constructive. Care and caution should be taken to focus on positive improvements, not problem reductions. Problems reduce as improvement take place. Note: This is general caution, not specific to every case. I’m quite sure you can think of specific situations that are not congruent with this guidance, as can I, but those exceptions-to-the-rule are not the focus of this guidance.
Goals:
Improve Health & Well-Being
Improve Quality
Improve MoraleImprove Employee Skills
Objectives:
To improve health and wellbeing, walk x number of steps per day, meditate for x number of minutes per day, eat healthy food x times per day.
To improve quality output, improve specific process inputs.
To improve morale, improve civility in the workplace by increasing the use of “please & thank you”, for example.
To improve employee skills, implement a training program that will provide structured quarterly training and constructive on-the-spot corrective supervision.
Negative outcomes diminish in response to positive growth and development. For example, as morale improves employee tardiness and unwanted turnover will decrease.
If you act directly on the problem, the results may be counter-productive. Think “mole game.” You knock the mole down here and it pops up over there. Excessive focus on problems may inadvertently increase the problems.
Example: punishing tardiness is likely to increase employee resentments. Punishment / reprimand may not produce the results desired, while improving morale will have broad improvement effects. Constructive feedback is better than harsh or punitive feedback. Constructive feedback is a positive contribution. Harsh or punitive feedback is destructive of positive outcomes.
Negative Example: to reduce electricity use, lightbulbs can be removed. Electricity use is reduced but the workspace is cast into darkness, as is the ability to produce safely. The specific objective is met, but the cost is broader and greater.
K. H. Little Consulting Services
Kenneth H. Little, MA
KHLittle603@gmail.com
