It is no secret that today’s professional landscape is competitive. Companies are constantly in search of an edge, be it the latest technology or an innovative marketing strategy.
While these can be powerful tools, there is an often overlooked “secret weapon” waiting within your existing workforce. What is it? It is none other than your employee strengths.
How can the natural strengths of individual employees benefit your company? What are some good professional strengths you may have overlooked? How can you leverage and cultivate them to help your business to succeed? We will answer these questions below.
Advantages of Leveraging What Employees Do Best
Learning curves are a part of professional life, but they can take a toll on an employee’s physical and emotional energies. Progress can become almost effortless when you help employees leverage their own strengths in the workplace. Consider the following advantages.
Improved Productivity
We typically like doing the things we are good at. When a person uses their natural strengths at work, they can experience feelings of empowerment, mastery, and purpose. This motivates them, increasing engagement and productivity. Research by Gallup reports that “when employees know and use their strengths, they are more engaged (nearly six times more)” and are less likely to contribute to employee turnover.
Improved Retention and Satisfaction
As mentioned above, Gallup reports that employees utilizing their strengths are more likely to feel job satisfaction and less likely to leave their jobs. This saves the company costs associated with the recruitment and onboarding processes. It also contributes to productivity as previously mentioned. Rather than a vicious cycle, it is a meaningful one.
Innovation
Natural strengths differ between individuals. A team composed of employees who excel in different areas enjoy a diversity of thought, improved problem-solving abilities, and enhanced creativity. This innovative thinking can save the company money when addressing issues and even generate new income streams.
Company Culture
Humans have emotional needs for validation, respect, and trust. An environment in which strengths are celebrated is supportive and collaborative. Team relationships are stronger when they can celebrate each other’s talents.
How to Identify Your Employees’ Strengths
Your team and company at large cannot benefit from employee strengths until these strengths are identified. Effective methods include:
- Skills assessments: Standardized testing akin to that used in primary and secondary skills can shed insights into each employee’s talents and strengths. Many of these tests are psychometric, focusing on soft skills, personality traits, work and communication styles, and cognitive abilities.
- Self-reflection exercises: Journaling, writing or conversational prompts, and personality quizzes can help both you and your employee to identify strengths and styles.
- Skills audits: Interviews and self-evaluations can be used to “paint” a comprehensive picture of each employee’s skillset and strengths. This method is more personalized than standardized skills assessments.
Empower Your Workforce With a Strengths-Based Culture
Company cultures and work environments are vitally important to many of the concepts discussed above, from fostering trusting collaboration to solidifying employee satisfaction. The following tips can help you create a growth environment that leverages and celebrates employee strengths.
- Create recognition programs. There is a reason why elementary schools have frequent awards programs to recognize student achievements. Publicly acknowledging the strengths of team members is motivating, and it reinforces the value of their skills. It also boosts overall morale.
- Offer training opportunities. When strengths are celebrated, employees will be motivated to improve weak areas and gain new skills—but they may not do so solely by their own devices. When training opportunities are readily available, however, they will likely take advantage of them. They may even discover new strengths and areas of interest that complement their core strengths.
- Stretch their assignments. Employees can be encouraged to flex and expand their strengths by tackling challenges that require the development of new skills
- Teach each other. It has been said that you have truly mastered a skill when you can teach it to someone else. Give employees this opportunity by assigning internal skill-sharing sessions, presentations, or workshops. You can also establish mentorship programs in which strong performers are paired with less experienced colleagues. These exercises also contribute to the collective knowledge and abilities of the team.
- Lead by example. Leaders should delegate tasks that utilize employee strengths. Consider the strengths of each team member, and match them with tasks that allow them to work efficiently and with a sense of ownership. This also helps them feel trusted and empowers them to reach greater goals. Leadership coaching may be needed to help those in managerial roles accomplish these goals effectively.
Key Takeaways
Companies can generate competent, thriving, satisfied workforces by identifying and then nurturing employee strengths. When employees feel valued in this way, they will feel more motivated and think more innovatively. Focusing on employee strengths is a win-win situation—it is your company’s secret weapon.
