| The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index over the last | | | | around you might be the difference between life and |
| year shows that there has been 20% increase in the | | | | death of your enterprise, way of life, and positive |
| number of Americans struggling or suffering in this | | | | future! |
| economy. This is probably a low estimate of the true | | | | A recent survey of 1240 American adults by Taleo |
| number of people struggling or suffering today | | | | showed that 50% of the people that like or enjoy their |
| because the index asks people to rate their current | | | | job were still open to looking for a new position. These |
| situation and their expectations of where they will be in | | | | people are clearly not engaged with their employer! |
| 5 years. In other words, people might be struggling or | | | | Imagine losing "thriving" employees while the number of |
| suffering today but possess optimism about their | | | | struggling and suffering employees continues to |
| future 5 years down the road. Thus, these people | | | | expand. Where will that leave you? |
| might be classified as "thriving" based on their future | | | | So what are leaders and managers to do? |
| expectations. | | | | Gallup offers managers six tips to deal with the |
| While a positive mindset or optimism is an important | | | | increase in struggling and suffering caused by these |
| component of creating a thriving future, it is certainly | | | | tough times: |
| not sufficient during tough times. A positive mindset or | | | | |
| optimism can and will erode over a long recession like | | | | 1. Create clarity of expectations for all employees - this |
| the one we are currently experiencing. In fact, Victor | | | | is done through clear communications and positive |
| Frankl and Admiral Jim Stockdale have shared their | | | | relationships between subordinate and superior. It is not |
| personal experiences witnessing how a positive | | | | just about barking clear orders. |
| mindset or optimism alone meant the death of many | | | | 2. Clear critical workplace constraints by making sure |
| captives during prolonged incarcerations. You don't | | | | employees have the materials and equipment they |
| want a positive mindset or optimism to be the death of | | | | need to do the job - otherwise you risk making fear |
| your financial or physical future during these tough | | | | and uncertainty an even greater constraint on your |
| times! | | | | workplace. |
| So what's the real impact of some many people | | | | 3. Create a strengths-based work environment - |
| suffering? | | | | assess the talents and strengths of your people and |
| Well, Gallup data (from many years and millions of | | | | align them to maximize the value created by your |
| people) shows that struggling and suffering people | | | | team and organization. |
| become much less engaged with their employers | | | | 4. Give ample recognition and praise - positive |
| when the employer does not focus attention on | | | | feedback goes a real long way in tough times! |
| engagement. The bottom line impact is DOUBLE DIGIT | | | | 5. Show you care about your people - take time to |
| percent DECLINE in earnings per share, customer | | | | understand what's going on with each of your |
| advocacy, productivity, and profitability with a DOUBLE | | | | employees and create positive connections with them. |
| DIGIT percent INCREASE in inventory shrinkage, | | | | 6. Have a development plan for your employees - give |
| employee turnover, and accidents. | | | | people something positive to focus on that builds on |
| - How many struggling or suffering people are on your | | | | their strengths and gives them more skills. This creates |
| team? | | | | confidence, not false hope, for the future. |
| - What is the real impact of this struggling and | | | | I hope this information will help you change the |
| suffering? | | | | momentum in your organization and increase the |
| - Can you really afford NOT to proactively address | | | | number of people around you who are thriving during |
| this issue? | | | | these tough times! |
| The level of positive engagement with the people | | | | |