Breakthrough Results Come From Inspired People

The labor market is in a state of recalibration which has been forecasted for many years and has accelerated at an unprecedented scale due to pandemic-driven market, government, and cultural forces. The reasons “why?” are myriad, but let’s focus on the vital question of “what now?”

The successful execution of any complex direct mail campaign is intrinsically linked to the manufacturing labor force. Many of the jobs at printers,  and more are highly skilled and require years of experience to properly develop talent. In addition, nonprofit organizations, fundraising agencies, consultancies, and partners are struggling to attract and retain talent. To answer this moment, it is imperative for organizations and companies to challenge themselves to adopt a human-centered approach that puts people at the center of every decision. This transformation is critical to keep pace with the demands of the workforce of today and tomorrow. The lesson is this: breakthrough results come from inspired people.

Change your focus. Shift your perspective from short-term goals such as profit margins to long-term goals like employee wellbeing. Move towards creating rewarding environments which are rich with meaning, purpose-driven, and diverse in your talent pool.

Embrace long-term goal setting. Rethink your Key Performance Indicators with a focus on people. If you have inspired, engaged employees, then you will retain those employees. Those long-term employees will therefore be even more firmly committed to executing their work with dedication and care, which will lead to greater productivity.

Inspire your people. Clearly communicate your organization’s mission and vision. Then, take it a step further to ensure that your people and the work they do is connected to that greater purpose.

Give them autonomy. Thanks to technology, work and life are in-separately enmeshed – we now work everywhere we are physically located. Embrace that shift and empower your people. They are up to the challenge of creating solutions and processes which not only achieve productivity goals but also achieve a quality work/life experience.

Invest in their success. Provide mutually beneficial opportunities, growth, and challenges that fuel their development and further your organization’s goals. This can take the form of training, coaching, shadowing, mentor programs and/or paid apprenticeships. In addition to the opportunity, it is crucial to give them the bandwidth to prioritize their professional development as well.

Recognize and promote value. Now your team is fired up and ready to achieve big, bold goals, so it’s vital to recognize and promote that growth. Challenge the notion that growth is only vertical by providing career mapping which considers lateral and even diagonal ways to add value. Growth is not a straight path – there are dips and turns in the journey. It is critical for your team to know they are adding value and are recognized for the fact that their value has now been amplified.

Leaders looking to build strong organizations which attract and retain highly engaged employees that don’t turnover should consistently, intentionally, and actively foster an environment that inspires and empowers those employees to do their best work every day. By investing in your employees, you create a virtuous cycle where they will be inspired to invest further in your mission. Those inspired people will then help your organization achieve breakthrough results!