Enrich: Energize the job
When the thrill is gone, so are they.
Your most valued employees are also the most likely to suffer job discontent. By definition, they are savvy, creative, self-propelled, and energetic. They need stimulating work, opportunities for personal challenge and growth, and a contributing stake in the organizational action. In short, they need job enrichment and if you can’t give it, they’ll find someone who can.
The Enriched Get Richer
So what is job enrichment? It’s providing challenge, growth and renewal in a current position. Change is the key, and it may occur in what is done (content) or how it is done (process), allowing employees to take on different tasks and responsibilities or to accomplish them in new ways that promote autonomy and creativity.
An enriched job: (Amy, this could be a sidebar)
· requires and values quality work
· gives an employee room to initiate, create and implement new ideas
· promotes setting and achieving personal and group goals
· allows employees to see their contribution to an end product or goal
· challenges employees to expand their knowledge and capabilities and to grow in new directions
· has a future beyond itself
How to Get Enriched -- Quick
If enrichment is so beneficial, why isn't it a standard part of every job? One reason is that every job and every employee is different. What will enrich one person is different from what will enrich another. How do you tailor job enrichment to individuals and their needs? Ask employees what would make their jobs more challenging, more interesting, more rewarding. Their answers will help you co-design the best-possible enrichment activity.
To Do
To get started, try one or more of these enrichment possibilities:
· Combine tasks. Let employees take on related sets of tasks that contribute to a tangible product or outcome. They will be more challenged and motivated than by doing a single, small repetitive task.
· Form teams. Let self-directed work groups make decisions, such as redistributing their work to increase variety and learning opportunities.
· Put employees in touch with clients. Let them interface personally with clients -- external or internal and/or hold them accountable for client satisfaction.
· Rotate assignments. Change responsibilities and tasks in order to challenge your employees, teach them new skills, and introduce them to new people.
· Build in feedback. Go beyond annual reviews with regular peer and client reviews to track performance and progress.
· Establish widespread participation. Allow employees to take part in decisions that impact their work, such as budgeting and hiring decisions, organizing work, and establishing schedules.
· Nurture creativity. Ask for and reward creative ideas and actions. Notice and encourage employees’ growth and interest in new skills or projects.
· Set enrichment goals. Discuss them, modify them, and measure progress regularly.
Enrichment is not tricky or difficult. But it does require that you ask what your employees want and then stay alert to opportunities. Encourage employees’ thoughts and ideas and co-create their enrichment projects and assignments. The payoff will be enthused, motivated, and high-performing employees who are likely to stay on your team!
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