| Workplace Success Myths & Tips | July 2010
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Greetings!
How do the long days of summer fly by so quickly? Here it is--the end of July--and many people are taking vacations with family and friends. In the summer, it's easy to take a mental break and enjoy the distractions nice weather brings. But business continues--and in this economy, it pays to be engaged in your work!
If you saw the World Cup or the Tour de France, you have seen people who are totally committed to what they do--in spite of dangers, injuries, or daunting challenge. How can you be as committed to your field of work as those who will ride a bicycle 2,500 miles in 21 days or commit years of their lives to a tournament that only happens once every 4 years? |
| Workplace Myth #3
"A job is a job--you don't need to be engaged to do good work."
This myth comes from folks who don't like what they do--and rationalize that they can still do good work anyway. Not true! Employee engagement is critical to any organization's success. In fact, Gallup reports that actively disengaged employees "erode an organization's bottom line
while breaking the spirits of colleagues in the process."
Help dispel this myth at work. Become more engaged. Do you know why your organization exists? Do you know how you impact the bottom line? Do you speak up and offer ideas for improvement? See the trend and tips below for more ways to be engaged at work. Engagement can mean more success for you and your organization! |
Today's Workplace Trend:
Did you know...only 29% of workers in the USA are actively engaged in their work? Gallup provides this data, and estimates the cost of disengaged employees in the USA alone to be over $300 Billion per year! Research by them and others shows that engaged employees are more productive.
This is a big deal:
- Engaged employees are more profitable. They produce more revenue, solve more problems, and are more innovative. They will speak up and offer ideas to improve the bottom line because they believe they will be heard. And they will make decisions and take action to further the organization's success.
- Engaged employees are more customer-focused. They believe they can positively affect customer service. They are more likely to recommend their organization to others because they believe in it.
- Engaged employees are safer. In fact, in a Lockwood study at MolsonCoors, engaged employees were five times less likely to have safety incidents and seven times less likely to have safety incidents that caused them to lose work time!
- Engaged employees are more loyal. They feel a connection with their organization and its purpose. They will commit time and effort to make the organization succeed.
Get more engaged:
- Rate your level of engagement. How do you feel about your organization? How committed are you to its success (and your own)?
- Identify how you can improve your products and services. Start with yourself. There may be some small adjustments that make a big difference in your customer focus or quality. Start by proofreading everything you write, or by smiling more when you're dealing with customers.
- Learn more about your organization. If you don't know enough to be engaged, commit to learning more.
- Get involved. You're at work anyway--why not spend the time productively in trying to make your organization a better place? Volunteer to help change processes. Provide feedback. Offer ideas.
- Show how much you care and quite possibly, your organization will show how much it cares about you. You'll have taken a big step toward being more essential!
Sources: Gallup, Wikipedia, and Lockwood |
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What People are Saying about
"The Essential Employee"
"I thought [The Essential Employee] was a good book for those starting a new career. I have shared the books with my children that have graduated from college, pursuing their first career and a summer internship."
- Mike Paul, Acquisition Professional
"Your book was part of my get well plan for my team. And we saw the largest improvement in the department."
- Anonymous
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Learn More:
Do you want to learn more about becoming more essential (and competitive) in the workplace - or would you like to help others become more essential? Be sure to confirm your email subscription at the top of this newsletter to continue to receive information about today's workplace and how to succeed in it.
Please forward this to the graduates, employees, supervisors, or educators in your life. They will appreciate your thoughtfulness (and our tips)!
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Recommended Resources
The first book in the series is available!
"The Essential Employee: The Adventures of Carmen Senz."
Check out this engaging, easy-to-read story based on research in organizations across the USA. The story is about Carmen Senz's first six months at work and the lessons she learns about being an essential employee. It's a fun way to learn important lessons that will make you more essential in the workplace.
"I have read the first few chapters of The Essential Employee and found it difficult to put down. The story line teaches a lesson while remaining engaging for the reader. I would recommend this to other educators." - Carissa Monatukwa, Teacher
"Essential Employee Facilitation Guide"
The perfect resource for teachers and trainers to implement "The Essential Employee" in a learning environment. Includes suggestions for learning activities both in and away from the classroom.
"I highly recommend this book to training professionals, employers and most importantly to employees who want to discover what it takes to build their skills and be successful." - Karen Holcomb, Executive Director
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About Us
Judy Free and Traci Maddox are friends, colleagues, and co-authors of "The Essential Employee." They met in 1999 and worked together for several years as organization consultants-helping large and small organizations implement change. During their work together, they discovered a mutual passion for helping individuals succeed! And so they embarked on the journey to help employees become more successful in the workplace. Most books are written for leaders and managers-but Traci and Judy thought employees could benefit from their own book. Thus, Carmen (our heroine) was born to teach all of us how to be more essential.
Traci and Judy conduct speaking engagements and workshops all over the country-helping others understand and use the REACH framework outlined in their book. In addition, they both own thriving consulting practices and work on a wide variety of projects like strategic planning, change management, teambuilding, facilitation, and training. Their desire is to help individuals and organizations REACH their Peaks.
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Use Our News As A Resource
Would you like to reprint something you have read here? If so, you MUST include our bio and link. Please use the following information (changes only if we have reviewed and approved them):
Judy Free and Traci Maddox are authors, organization consultants, and coaches whose passion is to help individuals and organizations REACH their peaks. They help people across the USA become more effective, more focused, and more successful. Receive their free news updates and workplace tips at www.essentialemployee.com
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Thank you for your time and interest! Visit us at www.essentialemployee.com for events, workshops, surveys, products, and more information.
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