4 Ways Focused Employees Can Improve Your Business
There's a lot to be said for the power of focused employees.
Companies that have high-performing employees are more likely to grow and prosper than those that don't. And the best part is, it is not just about revenue. From reputation management to crisis control, employees with incredible focus at work can positively affect all aspects of your business.
Let’s talk about how focused employees can help grow your business as well as how your organization can support them.
But who are focused employees?
Every organization has a different definition of focused employees. But simply put, focused employees are those who are engaged, motivated and productive. They are good at both internal and external communication, making them excellent liaisons for customers and managers alike.
Ideally, focused employees are those who have an intrinsic motivation to do their best work. They are passionate about what they do, and they love it. However, employees who derive their motivation from external factors also often make for incredibly focused employees when they are rewarded well.
Focused employees are happier and more productive than other employees because they can concentrate on the tasks at hand without being distracted by unimportant things that aren't worth their time. For this reason, they are able to consistently produce results, making them a brilliant asset for your organization especially when it comes to retention of top talent.
Let’s dive a little deeper into this topic.
4 ways focused employees contribute to your organization’s success
Lower absenteeism
More productivity
Increased sales
Higher customer satisfaction
Lower absenteeism
Employee productivity is closely related to a comfortable working environment and flexible work hours. Focused employees show a 41% reduction in absenteeism while disengaged ones see a 37% increase in absence from work due to illness or personal reasons.
Besides, when employees are engaged with their work, they are more motivated to work toward their goals and know when to give themselves a break. This means that when it is time for them to take a vacation or sick leave, they will be more likely to do so if they believe it is a part of their job responsibilities.
And contrary to the misconception, employees taking vacation time is actually a good thing for your organization. According to Mark Rosekind, Researcher at Alertness Solutions, people are more productive when they are well-rested. His study showed that vacations can increase an employee’s performance by 80% and their reaction time by 40%.
More productivity
It is a fact that employees who are focused and productive are more likely to be engaged in the work they do, which increases their productivity and loyalty. When employees are happy with their work arrangement, they are more likely to be creative and innovative, which can lead to new ideas and solutions. Organizations with high levels of engagement also tend to have a higher employee retention rate because their employees feel more connected to their jobs. According to the Corporate Leadership Council, employees who are committed and engaged at work perform 20% better and are 87% less likely to leave their current company.
Increased sales
Employees who are engaged in their work are more likely to be productive and efficient, resulting in higher profits for the company. Focused employees perform better on all levels, which is why organizations with such employees experience 20% more in sales than those with disengaged employees. Evidently, focused employees can directly influence your bottom line.
Higher customer satisfaction
Employee engagement and commitment are the backbone of your organization. These two factors, along with effective training, provide employees with the skills and knowledge needed to perform at their best. And the impact doesn’t just show within the organization but also in your external relationships i.e. those involving your customers.
Focused employees make better decisions because they are deliberate in their actions. This improves their likelihood of solving problems, which results in improved customer satisfaction as well as reduced complaints. As a result, they can increase your customer loyalty by 10%.
In other words, such employees understand why they do what they do and how it contributes to the larger mission of the business. They know how their work contributes to the organization’s goals, how it fits into the big picture and how it can benefit customers or other stakeholders. All of this contributes to them being a valuable asset to your business.
How do you find and retain focused employees for your business?
A focus on the customer and a passion for what you do are two of the most important ingredients of a focused employee. There are three types of engagement in employees:
task-focused engagement (employees who spend most of their time on their tasks);
relationships-focused engagement (employees who spend most of their time interacting with others and in team collaboration); and
self-direction-focused engagement (employees who spend most of their time identifying new ways to improve processes or products).
As an organization, you can benefit from all of these, but it goes without saying that having a mix of all is the ideal situation. The key to finding focused employees is to ask them what they want from their careers. Then, find ways to help them achieve it. A good leader will find ways to make sure that focused employees get what they want out of work so that they can be productive members of the team. In addition, the best leaders know how to recognize when an employee is distracted and facilitate dialogue between them and the organization before any damage is done.
For instance, if an employee starts taking longer breaks or asking for more time off because of personal issues, a good leader will take it as a cue to step in and ensure that the employee is heard and that their temporary disengagement doesn’t affect the productivity levels within the organization.
As you can tell, your leadership plays a big role in how well your organization is able to retain focused employees.
Building a work environment that appreciates focused employees
The growth of any company depends on the performance of its employees. The employees who are focused can deliver quality output while those who are unfocused will fail to deliver what is expected from them. To ensure that your employees are focused and not just focused on their own performance, you need to make sure they have a clear understanding of what it takes to succeed in your company. Here’s how:
Have a clear vision for the company and how you want it to grow over time. It starts with the leaders.
Make sure all employees understand this vision so that they can align their work with it.
Be aware of how your employees feel about their work and how they feel about their current role (or lack thereof) in the company.
Besides, your organization also needs to have a positive and accepting attitude towards mental health. Because it is not always possible for employees to show up at work with their best self - especially considering the terrible after-effects of the pandemic.
Therefore, now more than ever, it is crucial for organizations to make a conscious decision to promote mental health in the workplace to make sure that the best employees (or any employee) don’t experience burnout.
Summary
Engagement is not something that you can turn on or off at will. It is a combination of factors including motivation, engagement and employee satisfaction. These factors can be made more favourable for employees with little changes. For instance, you can increase motivation by giving employees feedback and recognition for good performance. Everyone loves positive feedback! They will then be more likely to strive for even better results in the future. Investing in activities and workshops that improve team cohesion can also make a significant difference in your organization by improving the quality of connections at work.
Drop us a note and book some time with us. Our team of focused 🎯professionals are waiting to help you and your team grow.