How to Manage Employee Commitment

Working with so many workplaces, I hear common complaints from both employers and employees, around the idea that people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing.   Managers need to manage commitment.

Learn more here in my short video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqtD-rt0xJc

Here are some tips on how to manage other people’s performance of their workplace commitments.  I've learned much of this from experience, but also found a great resource book Employees Not Doing What You Expect, by Greg and Irwin Schinkel: 

Here are 6 Tips to manage employee commitment: 

1. Develop expectations and indicators for all supervisors and employees. 
2. Managers can build regular opportunities into their calendar to see for themselves what is happening, and talk directly with employees doing the job about what’s going well and what may be causing frustration. Act with follow-up to help eliminate the causes of their frustration. 
3. If people are underperforming, and you witness the behaviour, go to them and ask “Do you have a problem that I can help you with?” 
4. Periodically visit every part of the operation under your direction, talk and listen to the employees, observe effort and working conditions. 
5. Periodically inspect the final output of productivity, and elicit feedback from employees on areas that can be improved.  Say “How might we find a better result”. 
6. Recognize negative behaviours verbally with “This is not satisfactory, how quickly can you correct it”, and always follow up on those situations to ensure their prompt correction. 

Remember to always be empowering, encouraging, empathic and expecting yourself and others to be their best.  Compliments and recognition go a long way to motivate people for a job well done. Don’t overlook good behaviour and performance, but manage the areas that need improvement.   

Managers who are actively managing commitment are respected by their teams.  I’ve given you some simple suggestions on how to and what to say, and if you need more help call me because you’re greatest leadership day is with Penny Tremblay.