Edward DeAngelis, CEO, EDA Contractors, advocates emotional intelligence and psychological safety.
As business leaders, one of our greatest gifts is making people feel seen. I remember a particular event where I greeted an employee’s wife by name.
Her reaction was heartwarming: “Thank you for caring enough to remember my name.”
Later that night, her husband sought me out to thank me for making his wife feel important enough to remember. It wasn’t just a pleasant exchange; it reinforced the idea that recognition matters and can significantly impact morale. He appreciated that his wife felt valued, and through that experience, he also felt valued. Simply by taking the active approach of remembering my employee’s wife’s name, I was able to extend respect and appreciation to my employee, which was appreciated beyond any expectations.
So, why remember their names, and the names of their family members? Why take the time to say an engaged and robust “hello” when you pass employees in the hallway or parking lot? Why take the time to place value in living and communicating proactively with your employees?
When people feel valued as individuals, they are likely to perform better and contribute positively to a workplace experience, creating a workplace culture that fosters respect, kindness and humanity. This approach can turn a workplace into a community, making it easier for everyone to collaborate, innovate and thrive. By showing that we, as business leaders, care about the people behind the roles, we create a supportive environment that fosters growth and connection.
Remember Their Names
When it comes to workplace communications and building a culture of care, simple hallway greetings and daily expressions of humanity that support a lively workplace mentality can uplift employees as human beings. This, in turn, leads to a workforce that embraces the opportunity to exceed expectations, going above and beyond effective workplace communication to foster an enriched communication standard of familiarity and humility.
As business leaders, it is crucial to build an effective workplace culture by fostering communications that drive individual success—quite simply, leading with humanity, guiding with compassion and communicating proactively in all workplace dealings.
• Communicate in ways that build employee confidence and self-worth. Use positive reinforcement and constructive feedback to help employees feel valued and motivated. Effective communication involves not just speaking but also listening. Leaders should actively listen to their employees’ concerns and respond with empathy, showing that they genuinely care about their wellness.
• Encourage employees to live proactively at work. This could mean encouraging them to share ideas and participate in decision making processes. This involvement makes employees feel more connected in the organization’s success. This connection helps form a proactive trust, where leaders openly share their thoughts, decisions and rationale with employees in a very inclusive way, with humility and passion.
Conclusion
When employees are respected and encouraged to work proudly and embrace the opportunity to be successful together, workplace cultures can align with the organization’s mission and goals, making employees feel seen, heard and valued. This proactivity in communication, from leadership to all within the organization, helps all employees understand the bigger picture and feel more inclined to work with pride, communicate with kindness and recognize the collective achievements of their peers.
So, in short, take the time to remember your employees’ names–and even the names of their family members. In doing so, you will build a workplace culture of trust, boosting morale and cultivating collaboration as you create an environment where everyone affiliated with your organization truly feels valued.
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