Spilling the beenz

Chicken or the egg situation - do you get a bunch of engaged, motivated employees by being a good organisation, or do they make an organisation better? How big a role does the environment play in generating the excitement and commitment a start-up always seems to have? How do you sustain that zest and passion through to post-launch, without letting them get jaded? Keeping anticipation levels up is one way. Involving the company in what's next and making them feel they have a role to play in it will keep the enthusiasm levels high. Management continuing to keep closely involved with their staff at all levels, even after the company has grown exponentially, makes a difference as well. Appreciate those who have taken risks (within limits!) even if the idea didn't pan out. Management have to walk the talk - live the brand values, don't preach them. Love to hear what you guys have to say........spill the beans to beenz!!

I'm reading so much about retaining employees in a time of crisis; who holds the 'power' now - the employer or the employee...etc. Its not rocket science. At any time, all people really need in order to be actively engaged, is to know they are important to management. As people, not just drones who get the job done. Be flexible about timings when it comes to kid related stuff - PTA meetings, doctor visits, etc; have an open door policy that lets them feel their opinion counts and they have the freedom to air it; make sure they are your brand ambassadors - let them be your test groups, get the product first, get all company announcements before the media.......simple things that yield results. Loyal employees will stick with you through the thick and thin, if they know its being appreciated. Being taken for granted sucks, in personal relationships as well as professional ones. Talk to your people and be honest. Take them along with you for the ride, whether its an aerial dir...

Amazing how the tensest of situations gets diffused by a little madness! A little dose of laughter and everyone going nuts for a bit and calm is restored. I know most bosses hate 'official email' being used to send jokes and stuff around, but I think its a great way to bring your staff together and keep stress levels down. Sometimes people surprise you with their reactions as well, giving away more about themselves with the kind of joke that makes them laugh!!

Dont you sometimes feel the credit crunch has actually saved a lot of companies from losing their best people? Everyone's scared to leave and join a new place at this time, without any guarantee that they will not be chucked out of the new place in the next round of lay-offs! So they stay - at least physically and on the records; but mentally they are so out of the workplace. The minute the economic crisis gets sorted out and stability returns to the market, there will be an unprecedented level of churn across the board. Should be interesting to watch, not to mention, opening up new avenues of employment! Hows that for a silver lining :-)

Everything has to start somewhere - so here i am with my first blog step :-) hope to pick up speed soon and write some amazingly rivetting stuff!! till then, feel free to spill the beans to beenz