Checking signs of disconnect at work - a managerial responsibility

The reasons why men and women quit from their jobs are many and diverse. It is rather difficult to make out one single most important reason; the time it gets to be actually known is when he or she is leaving a particular job for good. Among different reasons that employees state are problems related to maintaining a good work-life balance, relationships with boss and financial issues. It eventually boils down to work disconnect.

A significant aspect related to the above is that you cannot have a common solution to the problem.  It is only because of this that administrative officers and human resource managers remain perennially busy with matters related to resignation of employees and switching over to other companies. In the light of the foregoing, all organisations are today focussing intensely on instituting employee-friendly processes so that this trend of quitting is arrested. Five major issues related to this problem are:

• Demanding and & arduous tasks:  Work is work and may occasionally call for extra efforts and additional devotion of time. Now, if you enforce rigid work timings, it may not work. What could possibly be done is acknowledging sustained hard work put in by employees and even permitting them options like working from home or flexible hours of working. Giving such employees a break at company expense will generate a feeling of esteemed belonging among them.
• Proneness to work beyond stipulated work timings: Meeting deadlines and completion of projects is basically the responsibility of the immediate boss or departmental head. But it will be in the fitness of things, interests of efficiency and also consideration of employee welfare to carry out periodic scrutiny on the reasons behind people working overtime. The findings should be brought to the notice of seniors so that problems, if brewing could be nipped in the bud.
• Failure on the part of managers to handle juniors in a friendly manner: When organisational introspection is in progress, the people skills of managers should also be evaluated. This may not be an uncomplicated or simple job at all. It should be remembered that well-qualified managers are not necessarily good administrators or employee-handlers. And this is precisely the reason why industrious and efficient employees leave their jobs. It is therefore an inescapable requirement to subject all managers to acquire man-management skills so that they can address the beliefs and aspirations of those under them.
• Protracted and stretched-out deployment on a single assignment: It is a known fact that monotony in work schedule brings about a loss of interest and gusto. It is thus imperative for human resource managers to conduct intervallic evaluation to gauge inspiration levels among employees. Perhaps a small and casual interaction undertaken occasionally could throw light on indications of work-disconnect. Apprising department heads of the findings and recommending lateral transfers could turn out to be immensely helpful in motivating such employees to stay on.
• Why do sincere and conscientious employees don't do well? This phenomenon calls for a n exhaustive research and evaluation. Below average performance could well be a result of company-related and business-linked issues like inability to discharge laid-down duties and fulfilling stipulated objectives. However, the likelihood of some other reason contributing to work-disconnect and low inspiration level cannot be totally discounted.

The most important and vital asset of any organisation is its manpower. And that is why human resources have to be handled very intelligently. Excessive ruthlessness and excessive friendliness both have to be avoided for understandable reasons. That in essence is what good management is all about. You simply cannot inspire terror among the workforce; what needs to be comprehended is the need to build mutual confidence. Instead of pointing fingers and apportioning blames, the focal point of all human resource management processes should be to ensure that all erring actions are precluded and impacts of mistakes rectified. Once that happens, the workplace becomes an interesting institution. It is important to understand that at the workplace, there is no room for undue surmises, suspicions and ego; if this is not put into effect, employee motivation will plummet.  

It should also be remembered that human resources are individuals and not living entities of any judgement or reason. Employees are actually creatures of sentiments who have self-pride. Therefore, efforts have to be continually launched to make certain that their motivation levels are maintained at an optimum level. If that has to be the case, all managers should play the role of facilitators for their subordinates. Once that happens, work-disconnect will be checked and resignations prevented.