When your employees have a long wish-list

By Lloyd A. Luna


I have it. You have it. Everyone has it. It’s called wish-list. And it’s telling us something. For people in the workplace, these are things they never had. For people running the workplace, these are the things they never gave.

So, what exactly does it mean when your employees have a long list? Well, having observed and studied the psychology of working individuals in both multi-national and home-grown companies, I found some interesting ideas that can make your business a serious but fun-filled people business.

My idea is simple: The longer the employees’ wish-list, the weaker the company becomes.

But this, too, gives any company an opportunity to address the issues, talk to their people, be clear about the solutions, and have a regular, real conversation with their people.

As an author and consultant to companies on either Internet marketing technology or on people development because of the books and seminars I’ve written and given, I was able to come up with a list of wishes. Using a thorough analysis on these interviews and surveys, I tried to share my thoughts on each person’s wish-list.

See if this “little adventure” can give your company a “huge opportunity.”

Hazel: A suggestion box and freedom wall taken seriously, a program that takes care of my family's welfare too (health care and tuition loan), a company that encourages and educates its employees regarding financial literacy and how to manage their money while still in the company and especially after leaving employment (i.e. retirement)

Reading employees’ suggestions is quite a common practice. Understanding it and taking some actions is another thing. That is what Hazel means when she says “seriously.” What’s the point of putting those boxes (on visible places in fact) if the company won’t do something about it anyway?

Education in the workplace is important, too. Every time we deprive our people to learn (financial literacy for example) would give them hard time to manage their finances. This problem is eventually translated to higher stress in the workplace.

I don’t really believe that people can separate their personal life from professional life. They co-exist naturally. Thus, the solution is to help people fix their personal life by providing them with proper education and training.

Susan: I wish... that leaders would lead... themselves first... expand beyond tactical, become more strategic... take that first step to learn more about leadership than mere operations.

Read it again: leaders would lead… themselves first. I think Susan is trying to emphasize “themselves first.” There are positional leaders in the workplace. I’ve seen and met them. These are leaders without the skills and the passion to lead but since they have the position, they lead anyway. That’s the reason why some of them are good at operations but not really good at leading the people doing the “operations.”

Catherine: Promotion based on your accomplishments and capabilities... not by seniority :-) and yeah, better pay, more independence on the job, more authority, more control... even without the position.

This means a great (really strong) impact in the life of every company. Every instance an incapable “senior” is promoted; the deserving newbie gets demotivated and generate a feeling of insignificance. The internal newbie drive is lost with it.

I think Catherine is saying that people have their own unique ways of doing things and therefore they deserve some “authority and control” on their own stuffs. I personally believe that creativity can be exercised if and when the company is providing a venue to for their employees to do so.

Allan: a car plan package, higher pay, better retirement benefits and good work environment.

Allan has a problem in commuting I think. And it’s not serving him well. I’m not saying that he should be provided with a car or a plan package. What I’m saying is the company should know exactly the feeling of its employees. If there’s an unclear “retirement benefits” or if it is found to be unsatisfactory, then such idea distracts people from doing their jobs effectively.

If the company is providing a “good work environment,” then it shouldn’t have been included in Allan’s list. Obviously, there is none.

Of course this is not an idea of giving in or providing every wish that they have. But sitting with them and laying all cards is worth doing at least to make sure that your people are actually “comfortable.”

Grace: one step up from my position right now.

I believe Grace feels she deserves a promotion but there’s something that holds her back. Whatever that is, I bet its more company rather than personal issue, there should be a conversation and negotiation.

Summer: Training

Unfortunately most companies, especially those small and medium in scale, won’t allot some funds in training and development. When the business is down, training budget is first to get cut.

Training is very important especially for service providers because this helps in defining the dynamics and momentum of people. The lesser training they get, the lesser creative they become.

Jovita: Security of tenure (permanent position, good compensation and benefits, career growth) and superb working condition.

As a business owner myself, this is one hard issue to address. But in reality, there’s no such thing as security. So how should a company address this issue? Simple. Explain that every single performance of every person in the company determines everybody’s tenure. If they don’t perform and deliver as a team, everybody else is affected.

Stanley: Good perks, less office politics, unlimited internet access. You'd be surprised; workers with access to social sites at work may perform better. 2 minutes of Facebook every hour or so can be refreshing.

Most company still resists the idea that Internet is no longer a necessity but now a way of life. They ban these social networks without realizing that the entire workforce can be converted into an internet marketing machine using these media.

The truth is we only need the concept to our employees. Internet technology is there to make our lives easier. Old fashioned companies will soon adapt it. Why not now?

Maricar: I wish that envy and crab mentality would vanish.

This has always been a problem. In my studies, there reason is because people are not clear about themselves. They are unclear about their values, their motivation, their desire, and their needs, among others. They don’t know what they don’t want as against what they want.

Actually, I think Maricar is reminding us of this popular line: “We all like to see our friends get ahead, but not too far ahead.” Only until every employee become clear of what they are, who they are, their desire, their dislikes, and more would we limit if not totally eliminate this crab mentality thing.

Eduardo: A sincere boss, that would say thanks when appropriate, that will congratulate me in public, that will teach me in private when I err... that would understand what my talents are and that would allow me to use them every day!

This is one common wish among employees. The thing is I think we’re able to develop a culture of “you-know-that-already.” We are not so vocal in the workplace. We try to keep things ourselves or if not in ourselves, we keep it along with our friends and office mates.

These are all but small wishes but they bear huge warning and opportunity for us.

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Lloyd A. Luna, the best-selling author of Is There A Job Waiting For You? and seven more books on career and personal development, will speak during HR Professionals Summit II: Retaining Valued Talents in Times of Crisis on August 26-27 in Crowne Plaza Hotel. Visit his website at http://lloydluna.com. For inquiries, please call Leni at 470-1055 or 0905-3364486.