OCTOBER 2020 MANAGEMENT
is important here, to make
sure staff are fully informed
about what’s available to them.
Otherwise, they might not
be aware and may struggle in
whatever area of their job, or
work-life balance, is affected.
3Investment: investing in
employees’ development
is key to keeping them within
the business and protecting
intellectual property at the
same time. A group like
our European Women’s
Success Network gives staff
the opportunity to be aware
of the education or training
that others have benefited
from, which they can then
discuss with their line
managers and then develop
their own knowledge,
experience and skills.
4Engage: groups like ours
are a great example of
how we can help everyone to
become more involved in the
business. By working closely
with staff to tell them about
the opportunities that can
support their career, they
will feel more motivated and
valued within the business. In
turn, they may want to become
more active themselves in
supporting others.
5Motivate: if people want to be part of the
company and are focused on playing a part
in its overall success, then management teams
need to utilise this. Hearing others talk about
their personal experiences and career paths can
be incredibly inspiring and help to drive more
motivation among the team to strive for more.
6Regular communication: it’s important
to give employees more occasions to raise
issues or explore development opportunities,
rather than hold out until annual reviews or exit
interviews, by which time it’s too late. Having
regular meetings or sessions throughout the year
will help with this, especially if there are actions
agreed that require a further update.
7Transparency: our members have
spoken about how they appreciate the open
discussions we have across our group, so they
can see how others have progressed or accessed
certain flexible ways of working, which may be
beneficial to them too.
8Action: this is a key part of our network,
where we aim to make a real difference.
We’ve helped many women access more flexible
working opportunities than they had done
previously, which we will continue to build upon
as the group grows.
As we continue to work through challenging
times, it’s never been more important to give
employees a voice and the opportunity to learn
from others. This will help them to stay working,
progress with their personal development and
support the organisation as it moves through
this period of uncertainty.
business, helped by the support
they’ve received through the
network.
So, what are the key
learnings from running a
group such as this, focused
on supporting staff in their
development and retaining
talented workers?
1Listening: as I’ve already
mentioned, listening to your
team is incredibly important,
to create an inclusive
environment where all workers
have the opportunity to voice
their opinion or experiences,
and have the chance to be
listened to. In turn, it gives
management teams greater
insight into how their
employees are feeling, which
can then be used to make
improvements to both the issue
that’s affecting them and also
their wellbeing. Showing real
life examples of people who
have had certain experiences
will help to demonstrate this
and discuss the benefits of any
changes.
2Flexibility: after creating
more flexibility in the first
instance – whether it’s working
from home, or offering flexible
hours, for example – bringing
the opportunities to employees
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