Do you listen to your employees when they bring up concerns in your shipyard? Some managers choose to dismiss their team when concerns are mentioned, but this can be a fatal mistake. To truly listen to your employees and take their concerns into consideration can be a powerful motivational tool. Here are a few things you can do to take employee concerns seriously and improve the situation.
Open–Door Policy
Good managers will offer an open-door policy for their workers. This gives your employees the confidence they need to approach you about any subject, good or bad. When you make yourself available, you instill trust in your team which will encourage and motivate them.
Shutting yourself off from your employees only creates a tense workplace which can lead to larger problems beyond ignoring the concerns of your team.
Good Communication
To foster the ability for you to take your employees’ concerns seriously, it’s important you hone your communication skills. You need to be able to convey messages and pass on information in a productive way.
Communication skills aren’t just about face-to-face interactions. You should also be conscientious about how you present yourself over the phone or through digital media like emails or texts.
Active Listening Skills
Of course, to truly hear to the concerns of your shipyard employees, you need to engage in active listening skills. It’s natural human behavior to only listen long enough to begin to formulate your own response and begin talking as soon as the other person stops, but that’s not always productive.
If your employees feel like you don’t hear them, put in the effort so you do. When they bring up a concern, listen carefully and repeat it back to them to show you heard what they have to day. You don’t have to have an immediate resolution. Let them know you take their concern seriously and will think it over.
Good Resolutions
Finally, when your employees bring up their concerns, be sure to take positive action. Carefully consider the issue that’s been brought up and determine a fair and equitable way it can be resolved.
There are a number of things your employees might have solid input on in the shipyard. Anything from safety to interpersonal communications and even the efficiency of the work being completed. Implement ideas that will improve the workflow and give credit where it’s due.
Do you want to be a more productive shipyard manager? Contact Hutco today.
