Management Best Practices: Providing Constructive Feedback

The job of every manager is to provide their employees with the tools they need to be successful and thrive. One of the best things you can do as a manager, is provide your employees with honest, constructive feedback. Developing proficiency in this area is essential to building good relationships with and motivating your team. To help get you started, here are four tips for providing feedback the right way:

1. Be proactive. Nip issues in the bud and avoid messy interpersonal tangles that result from neglected communication. If you meet with employees regularly to give feedback, it conveys, “Your success is important to me, so I want to be accessible to you.”
2. Be specific. Although it’s not easy to provide negative feedback, it’s important to be as clear as possible by giving specific examples that illustrate your point. Instead of saying, “Your attitude is bad,” say, “When you miss deadlines, then cross your arms and look away when I discuss it with you, it gives me the impression that you don’t care about the quality of your work. Can you help me understand this behavior better?”
3. Develop a progress plan. Be clear about the specific changes in behavior that you expect in a specific period of time, and follow up as scheduled.
4. Link employees’ performance to organizational goals. Reinforce the value of your employees’ contributions by giving specific examples of how their work and positive behaviors serve the organization and its customers.

If you’re looking for more great ideas to spark performance in your team please give Murray Resources a call. As Houston’s leading Staffing and Recruiting Agency we can help ensure you get the best return on your human capital investment.

Getting the Most from Your Temporary Employees

Nearly every business in the world could benefit from workforce flexibility. But what many professionals don’t realize is that “temps” can be used for more than just fill-ins for sick and vacation time. In fact, when used strategically, temporary staffing can improve productivity, increase capacity to handle spikes in workload, and provide access to specialized skill sets–all without increasing your fixed expenses.

So how can you maximize the efficiency and productivity of your temporary employees? Follow these 5 key steps:

Step #1: Determine the type of person you need and define required skills.
Meet with managers and those who will be working with the temporary employee to determine which skills are ideal for the position you are trying to fill. Examine top performers you already have on staff to determine what skills have made them successful. And finally, work closely with your staffing agency and provide as much detail as possible.

Step #2: Work with an experienced staffing agency.
Find an agency that has experience in your industry. Not only will an experienced staffing agency know where to look to find the right person, but they will also be able to help you determine things like an appropriate pay rate for a particular position.

Step #3: Provide a solid orientation and training program.
Include information such as working hours, breaks and lunch schedules, any safety regulations or company rules, and contact information for direct supervisors. You may also want to assign a core staff member or supervisor to help orient the temporary employee. Also, find out what type of training and orientation your staffing agency can provide. Good staffing agencies will offer guidance on how to best bring temporary employees up to speed so they can hit the ground running–and they may even conduct initial training and orientation for you.

Step #4: Communicate clearly and openly.
Make sure your temporary employees understand what’s expected from them. Encourage employees to ask questions and make sure they know who to direct those questions to.

Step #5: Check in regularly.
Be sure to take a minute or two at several points throughout the first day to check in and gauge progress. Set specific days/times you plan to check in throughout the week to answer any questions and monitor progress.

Bringing a temporary employee on board at your company can offer a host of benefits–as long as that employee is managed properly. And from our experience, hard-working and properly managed temporary employees often become leading candidates for full-time openings.

Discover more about temporary staffing and other employment options that Murray Resources offers>