It’s in the best interest of companies to take a more strategic approach instead of merely reacting to workplace trends. Instead, companies should focus on understanding the underlying psychological needs and stressors driving these trends that showcase workplace dissatisfaction. One solution is the utilization of personality data. With the data from personality assessments, organizations can create work environments that align with employees’ values and motivations, preventing employee dissatisfaction before it becomes a major issue.
Workplace trends are symptoms of a disconnect between company culture and employee needs. Organizations that fail to address these issues holistically will continue to face evolving dissatisfaction trends among their workforce. Investing in data-driven solutions, like Hogan’s personality assessments, allows companies to tackle these issues at their core, fostering sustainable engagement and retention.
Here are four effective ways to address these problems:
- Tailor Development to the Individual:
Understanding individual strengths and values is crucial for increasing engagement. Employers can boost engagement by creating personalized development plans that align employees’ roles with their career growth, supported by data from personality assessments.
“By aligning personalized growth plans with employees’ unique strengths and values, employers can transform roles into pathways for career advancement,” shares Ryne Sherman, Hogan Assessments Chief Science Officer.
- Hire According to Values:
“Successful talent retention starts with hiring for alignment. When organizations prioritize candidates whose motivations and values resonate with their own, they cultivate a culture of engagement that encourages collaboration and commitment,” explains Sherman.
Selection processes should focus on candidates whose values overlap with the organization’s, making it easier for them to engage in their work, integrate with their teams, and support corporate initiatives. Assessing values alongside personality can significantly enhance employee engagement.
- Monitor Managers:
Poor management can severely damage employee engagement. Behaviors such as blaming others or ignoring team concerns must be addressed promptly. Employees with bad managers often experience a diminished quality of work life, with many admitting to crying at work, often due to problematic management. In contrast, employees who describe their managers as calm, organized, skilled at listening, and business-focused are three times more likely to be engaged.
“Ultimately, poor leadership leads to poor job performance,” shares Sherman.
- Clear Communication:
“Leadership should aim to inspire its employees to align their efforts with the organization’s goals and strive for success together,” says Sherman. CEOs must craft and communicate a vision that resonates with employees’ values. When a CEO successfully communicates an appealing vision, employees are more likely to align their interests with organizational goals and actively work toward achieving them.
The author, Ryne Sherman, is the Chief Science Officer at Hogan Assessments.