I was fortunate to be able to experience part of the HRSW Conference in Fort Worth last week (an educational/networking conference for Human Resource professionals)—always a great experience! It reminded me of how important it is for us to take time out to meet with our colleagues and hear about and share our experiences.
Most of us are aware of the large numbers of employees who are leaving their jobs, but one of the educational sessions I attended noted that about 70% of C-Suite employees are thinking about quitting. I was surprised to hear numbers that high at that level of job status. What are we doing to motivate ourselves and our staff and are we encouraging a learning environment? How much does learning feed into attrition?
I’m a big proponent of learning and am acutely aware of how much I need to learn! But it’s also easy to put that aside and just focus on tasks and moving from point A to point B. When an employee has a learning opportunity, do I provide guidance and teach skills or do I just rush through what needs to be done so we can move forward? Do I take the time to ask them questions so I can learn from them and reinforce by modeling behaviors how important that is for all of us?
Learning from others and providing learning opportunities are motivational actions. It makes me feel good when I see the light bulb going off in someone’s head and I hope I’ve thanked those who’ve helped me learn (although I’m positive I haven’t always said thanks when I should nor have I thanked people often enough). If we open our minds to opportunities and help others when we can, I feel certain we’d all be happier in our lives.
Take the time to learn each day and share knowledge whenever you have a chance. Meet with your colleagues and attend educational events as you can, and encourage your staff to do the same. This helps with motivation, retention, creativity, and collaboration!
And special thanks to all the teachers and educators out there for all you do!
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