Most HR experts and hiring managers would agree that an on-the-job romance is a bad idea. Office affairs distract employees, complicate business relationships and often end badly.
Still, a little infatuation at work can be a good thing – especially when it comes to the commitment of your employees.
As a manager, it’s important to keep employees as passionate about the work they do as possible. When staff members love their work, they’re more motivated, creative and efficient. In a recent FastCompany.com article, Paul Alofs outlines eight tips to create a more positive work culture that ignites passion. A summary of four of his key points follows, but you can read the full article here.
Hire the right people. Beyond merely hiring candidates based on their skills and experience, seek out those who share passion and commitment for what your company does. To determine if a job seeker is interested in the same things as you are, ask questions like:
- What do you love about your chosen career?
- What inspires you?
- What courses in school did you dread?
Communicate. Once you hire the right people, you need to continually discuss what’s going well and what isn’t. Develop a fertile culture by celebrating your victories, analyzing your losses and adjusting your game plan to rectify problems. To maintain passion, foster an environment in which employees feel safe enough to speak freely without fear of repercussions.
Tend to the weeds. Employing the wrong people can compromise a culture of passion. One of the most destructive corporate “weeds” is the whiner, who strangles passion by speaking privately with co-workers and sowing seeds of doubt. If you have a whiner on staff who isn’t a good fit for your positive culture, yank him out by the roots and replace him.
Work hard, play hard. Obtaining passion capital requires a strong work ethic, so recognize and reward employees who do what’s necessary to get the job done. If you’ve hired well, your employees will love what they’re doing – and be self-motivated to go the extra mile for your company.
A.R. Mazzotta – Matching Passionate Workers with Connecticut Employers
As a leading employment agency in Connecticut, A.R. Mazzotta can deliver experienced, passionate individuals who will thrive in your organization. Contact us today to learn about our Recruiting for Direct Hire Services for Connecticut employers.
With over 40 years of staffing experience, custom tailored searches, in-person screening and a full complement of Skills and Behavioral Assessments, we’ll hand-select candidates who consistently exceed your expectations – guaranteed.