Ten Steps to Help Employees Feel Supported

If your employees aren't living up to the potential you thought they had when you hired them or seem to be held back from making the contributions you know they are capable of, you may need to do more to support them. The fundamentals of employee support include putting an employee in the best position for him or her to succeed and considering whether or not the organization is providing the employee with the basic resources needed to be effective in their job.

Although employee motivation and engagement are vital to the success of any working relationship, it is support that will function as the stronger driver of employee success, performance and satisfaction.

Here are ten simple steps you can take to make sure your employees feel supported:

1. Seek clarity regarding personal goals and priorities;

2. Continue dialogue between supervisors and employees regarding performance;

3. Hold individuals and teams to a high performance standard;

4. Listen to and act upon employees' ideas and suggestions;

5. Provide employees with appropriate authority to make decisions about how they do their jobs;

6. Encourage and reward responsible risk taking;

7. Ensure that employees have the information, tools, equipment, supplies and assistance from others that they need to perform their jobs;

8. Provide ongoing coaching and counseling from supervisors to address development needs;

9. Be consistent with organizational support for training and development; and

10. Provide employees with ample opportunities to learn new skills and refine talents.

Source: "The Frustrated Employee: Help Me Help You," a webinar presented by Hay Group on October 24, 2007.

Help your employees live up to the potential you thought they had when you hired them.