By Bo Øksnebjerg, CEO at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Denmark
You probably saw it coming. It is tough work and very frustrating to be a modern leader. According to a study from ’Lederne’, more than half of the leaders in the private sector feel somewhat or very stressed. At the same time, according to IDA around half of the private employees and more than 70 % of the public employees often take work with them home.
And little does it help. According to the Commision of Productivity the productivity in Denmark only rises a little and is still disturbingly low. Simultaneously, Denmark’s first ‘ProductAbility’ report shows that the country’s ability to turn ideas into products hasn’t approved in 18 years. That being so, what is the solution to Denmark’s challenges? The answer is simpler than one should think!
Above all, Danish employees run around like headless chicken, because they have no idea, what is going on. Only 4 out of 10 know what the goals of their company are. At the same time, a study from ACNielsen shows that more than half of all employees every week spends time discussing the company’s conditions because of lacking or unclear information. 16 % even wastes time on so-called sense-making every single day.
On top of this, the companies’ incentive structures are breaking down. The past couple of years, a long list of companies has indicated that ‘meaningful work’ and ‘a common goal besides making money’ are more important than a higher salary for the employees. They want a purpose or a larger goal.
Finally, the employees want to be praised more than previously. And the praise needs to be delivered now and here – not at an annual appraisal meeting next year. On the other hand, the credit can come from anyone – colleagues and bosses.
Efficient communication, a common larger goal and frequent praise make so-called ‘engaged employees’. And according to American Watson Wyatt, companies with a majority of ’engaged employees’ have 22 % higher productivity, 27 % higher income and 38 % more loyal clients. That is quite tangible!
And here is the really good news. New technologies make it easier than ever to engage the employees – without even almost lifting a finger. Danish COWI engaged their employees in the company’s vision on a specially designed website with debates, votes and lots of information. More than 75 % of the employees played along and afterwards, more than 90 % understood the company’s strategy going forward.
New types of digital and social media also help you along the way. For example, Danish ACTIMO offers a smart solution, whre companies – or the boss him/herself – is able to send small videos, information and quizzes directly to the employees’ mobile phones. The results are impressive. More than 65 % of the employees in companies like Danske Bank, Carlsberg, ISS and Bilka reads the information that is sent to their phones. In comparison, typically less than 20 % reads articles on the companies’ intranet.
Finally, companies like DSB, PFA Pension and Bayer have raised the productivity and job satisfaction significantly among employees by using the social platform Echo.it, where employees can discuss the company’s challenges, invent new solutions and receive input on their work tasks. Eco.it awards the employees with points every time they participate just as they can receive points from their colleagues (just like ‘likes’ on Facebook). The system automatically awards you with ‘praise’. And it is working. More than 70 % of the employees engage in this kind of play.
So the conclusion is that hope is out there for all leaders, which also need to relax! Engage your employees with modern technology – without breaking a sweat.