Episode 100: Day to Day Life as an Employee: Employee Experience Series, Part 3

Speaker A: Foreign.

Speaker B: Welcome.

Speaker A: Welcome to Real Job Talk, the podcast with practical advice for mid career professionals. Today we're continuing our employee experience series. Today is episode three and we are focused on the employee experience.

Speaker B: So to us this is such a critical part of employee experience. It's about really understanding what each employee needs and wants at this stage of their career and providing guidance, feedback, mentorship and tools necessary for them to be successful. So uh, said in another way, we're talking about showing up and being an employee and being the best employee you can be because that's part of the experience. And so we looking at it both from the employee standpoint as well as from the manager company standpoint, one of

Speaker A: the points here is that uh, we can optimize our experience as employees and hopefully we're going to give you some information to help you to do that throughout this episode for sure. So people leave jobs for numerous reasons, but generally the top ones are lack of a supportive manager or a manager who doesn't manage well or fairly, uh, and fear about the company's future. And people also leave for career development, compensation and other logistical reasons like commuting. We're going to talk more about development in a future episode, but we want to talk to both managers and employees about how to make the experience as an employee a positive one for sure.

Speaker B: So first and foremost, a number one, the most important thing about being an employee is a mutual understanding of the experience. And what I mean by that is the employee needs to understand what they need to be doing in a day or in a week or in a month or in a quarter. And managers, you need to understand what it's like to sit in each of your people's seats. And I would say that from an executive for everyone on their team, I would say a manager for everyone on their team. So do you understand what your team members days are like? Are they in meetings? Are they in spreadsheets? Are they repeating the same task over and over again? Are they overwhelmed? Are they bored? Are they trying to wrangle cats and not getting any responses? What, what tools are they using? Are those tools good ones or frustrating ones? Um, and so I would say the onus of this is on both the managers to understand and ask the right questions, to know what the people on their teams days are like, but also for people on the team to have the managers know what their day is like. And these are little things like how many times a day do you get interrupted by questions or, or uh, put off task or what, how often are you getting slacked for this, that or the other thing. What's it about? What's my day like?

Speaker A: Mhm. So I think the number one thing here is that both parties need to be communicating with each other. And if, if you're a leader manager and you are not doing one on ones with your people, that is the, the number one thing that I would recommend you start doing 100%.

Speaker B: And this is not about micromanaging. Right. Like this isn't like, okay Cat, tell me minute by minute what your day is like. That's not what we're saying here. But Cat, walk me. Like what's a day in the life like for you? And what do you like doing and what don't you like doing? Like asking those inquisitive questions to understand your person's job and what their day is like and if they like it or not. What are your favorite things you do in a given week? What do you not like doing? Like asking the questions and building trust so you get honest answers is going to help you understand what it's like to be a person on your team.

Speaker A: Yeah. What, what surprises have come up since you started? What, what can we do differently to make your experience better?

Speaker B: Mhm. Totally. And so I heard this story a couple months ago about this person who worked for one company and then fully took a second job at a second company doing the exact same thing at the competitive company. So they worked for both. And people are like oh my God, so unethical, so terrible. And I agree, you don't work for, for two competitors at once. Like, but they weren't getting good performance reviews in both jobs. You want to know why? Because neither job was a full time job. This person had enough time to successfully have two full time jobs.

Speaker A: Well, that person probably was really clear on what was expected of them to excel in their role. Right. Which is important for them to know. And where are they going to get that information if they're not having one on ones with their managers?

Speaker B: Uh, agree. But also the manager had no idea that this person had so much capacity that their full time job was not really a full time job.

Speaker A: Right, right.

Speaker B: And that to me is on the managers. Like oh, this person could ha. Could easily juggle the two. That's on you manager. You didn't know what the person was up to or how long their tasks took. You are perfectly happy with their part time performance. That's on you.

Speaker A: Yeah, definitely. Fingers not on the pulse there.

Speaker B: No. So like what we were saying earlier about, you know, what is it like what meetings Are you in? It's about transparent conversation. It's about talking it through. Um, and when there's an issue, managers making it a safe, safe space to bring it out up without being putative. And ICs, bringing up problems safely, but also being solutions oriented.

Speaker A: Yes, yes, that's so important. If you've got a problem, if you see, if you see a challenge or a problem, by all means, bring it to the table as an independent contributor. And while you're bringing it to the table, bring some solutions along with you.

Speaker B: Yes, always come with solutions and managers. You don't always have the answer, by the way.

Speaker A: And it's okay to say, I don't know, you know, I'll get back to you. Or let's, let's, let's put some thought on that.

Speaker B: Yes. Like, brainstorm it together. Two minds are better than one. Maybe you bring the whole team in to brainstorm, but like, managers don't know everything and the managers who act like they do, they really don't. So brainstorming together, bringing others in to brainstorm, saying, let me think about that for a few days. I'll get back to you by Thursday. Great. But feeling that you're in it together, I think is a huge part of the employee experience.

Speaker A: A good manager is clear on where an employee is at this point in their life and career. They know, you know, they know that, you know, maybe someone is looking for a challenge or maybe they, they need the status quo based on other things happening in their life currently. So performance and, and career management are two separate but really related things. And I think that, that sometimes, uh, is missing from perspectives. And I think it's important that both the employee and the leader understand that because, you know, once we really understand that, we can come up with strategies that will support the role, the function, the employee and the leader.

Speaker B: Yes. Yeah. I think it's okay to say, you know, I'm happy doing my thing. Um, you know, but if you're being managed by someone else, AKA you're not the CEO of the company. Right. You need to make sure you communicate what you like, what you don't like. And it's okay to be like, I know I do this report every week. That's not my favorite thing, but I'm happy to do it. Or if it got taken off my plate, I wouldn't cry. That's okay. Um, and you need to communicate what you'd like to explore or learn about and maybe growth or learning opportunities that you've identified. Your manager does not read minds. And as we've said about 70,000 times on this podcast, but we'll say it again. You are the CEO of your career. You are driving the bus. Your manager is a assistant along the way, but you are the driver. Uh, um, so Kat, some thing thinking about some things of making sure you're communicating kind of what you're looking for and managers that you're supporting what people are looking for in terms of career management. Mhm.

Speaker A: When you're talking about performance, you're talking about how someone is doing. Right. How, how they're doing in the role. But managing career is more about what someone wants and what their desires and aspirations are. And I think that being clear on both of those things are going to support you as a leader.

Speaker B: Mhm. For sure. And just for the record, um, it's okay to not want challenge and not want m to take on more. At certain points in your life and career, you need to say that, but you also need to do your current job really well. So you can't just be like, yeah, I'm not looking for anything else and then not do a great job with what's on your plate. You have to do a good job in your role to. Because you're paid to do it. And if you don't do a good job, they will not pay you anymore to do it. It's kind of that simple.

Speaker A: I think it's important to know how to explain where you're at. Perhaps if you've got three children under the age of five, uh, that could help you to say, hey, right now I feel great at capacity. I feel like I'm doing a really good. I, uh, feel like I'm, I feel like I'm having an impact in my current role and I'm doing it really well. It is challenging with the three kids under five at home. I know that's not your problem manager, but I am juggling a lot. Right. I think that there's a way to say I'm not interested in extra challenges that will support your career. And there's a way to say it that will, that could really have a negative impact on your career. So if you're going to have those kind of conversations, which, uh, you know, we encourage you to do, but be prepared for them. So this would be a good time to talk to your personal board of advisors and get ideas on how to have that conversation most effectively for you.

Speaker B: Yep. And I would say the best thing you can do is be doing really well in the current role. Um, but also, you know, and this is coming from someone who put a ceiling on her career for, oh, a decade. But it was just. You're not. You're saying, I'm happy with what I'm doing. I. I like what I'm doing. This is great. I love the managers I'm working with. I love the this, I love the that. And. And I'm really happy right now. And with three kids under five, I'm at capacity, and it may not be kids, too.

Speaker A: We don't want to, you know, we don't. We. You know, it could be. It could be. It could be. I'm in the, you know, I'm navigating, taking care of my parents. It could be whatever. But I think the important thing is that, uh, if you do have external things, external challenges going on, that it's important that you're manager and your team knows that. That you're navigating this extra stuff for

Speaker B: sure, but not using it as a crutch to not perform. So, like, I just moved. Things are crazy. You know, I can't take on more right now. But you have to be able to take on your. Your role. So when you've got other things happening, you still have to be able to get your job done. And you have to communicate if you can't, or if you need some help, but you can't use it as a crutch. It's a very hard balance. And if you're not performing, you need to ask for what you need. What if you don't have the tools you need to do the job effectively? You have to figure out what the tool you need is and ask for it. So you have to explain what's happening. Again, we could not be more bullheaded about the fact that employee experience it. A lot of it is about that. Communication with your manager. Yep.

Speaker A: So on that note, you know, if you are in a meeting where you're doing a project outline or, uh, have taken on additional responsibilities, the best thing you can do is to recap that conversation and send it back. Hey, here are my notes from the conversation. This is what I agreed to. This is what you agreed to. Hey, did I. Did I capture this correctly? And if not, please, you know, please give me your thoughts here, because I want to make sure we're on the same page.

Speaker B: Yes. And by the way, if you're going to miss a deadline, you need to put that. Hey, Kat, I know I told you I'd get you this by Friday. This, this, and this happened or I uncovered this. You know, I opened Pandora's box and everything flew out and it's actually gonna. I'm not gonna be able to get it done until Tuesday. So this is what happened, this is why, and this is what I'm doing about it, and I will get it to you by Tuesday. It's the best you can do.

Speaker A: You've got to manage. You've got to manage up to that project. So the, the worst thing is to let a deadline go by without having any communication. That is the, um, one of the fastest ways to lose trust. So, so communication, like, things happen, things happen. And as long as you are on top of it and say, hey, this happened, I'm working on this and this, and I'll have this to you by Tuesday, you should be fine.

Speaker B: Absolutely.

Speaker A: So this brings us to the dive into performance. This last reminder is about being solutions focused. Do not go to the table with problems unless you can think of some solutions as well.

Speaker B: By the way, we all get stuck. And I say this to my kids all the time, do not run, uh, on the hamster wheel. You have to be running forward. So sometimes we get assigned something and we're like, oh, I don't know what to do here or something. Sometimes we take on more than we can, and sometimes we get stuck and sometimes we get lost. And that is part of the human experience. But when we just stare at the screen. But don't move anything forward. Don't ask for help, don't try something. That's where problems lie. So as soon as you realize you're over your head in whatever way, shape or form, ask for help in a proactive way. And you know what Kat said earlier? Like, underperformers don't get promotions. Like, if you're trying to move ahead, just because you got stuck doesn't mean you can't move ahead. One of the greatest qualities leaders have is that they know when to ask for help. They know when to bring other people in. They don't try to be the hero and do it themselves. And so do not let yourself fail because you were trying to be a

Speaker A: hero or because you're you. You don't want to appear to be asking for help. That's another place you know, stay. Step outside of your ego and ask for help when you need it. And if you're not sure how to do that, that's again, another conversation to pull on your personal advisory board or

Speaker B: your mentor or someone you trust. And, but, but trying to do it yourself and running on the hamster wheel, you're still going to get nowhere um, and so that's, that's a big piece. So say what you need. Do your work. If you're stuck, say something. If there's a, you know, I have a relative who's sick and I just, I need a week off or I can't. I, I can't get this done. Can someone help? If you're the person who helps others in the same situation, people are going to be really happy to help you. If you're the person who's always got a crisis, that's a performance issue. And I hate to say that because there are some people that just always seem to have something going and that's a, that's really tough. But being a team member is about give and take. And we all have our times where we need to take, and we all have times where we can give. And so many. Making sure you're doing your piece in the give and take of the team will help when you're stuck. Absolutely. Uh, I would say just the biggest. If you take anything away from this, it's about communication, both between managers and employees for sure. But don't complain. Problem solve. Always be finding solutions or asking for solutions or proactively trying to have solutions or when there's an issue makes a

Speaker A: huge difference in how you're perceived. Once someone gets that kind of complainer reputation, it's hard, it's really hard to, uh, change people's minds. So, so try not to, try not to get yourself in that situation.

Speaker B: Yeah. Nobody likes working with negative Nelly.

Speaker A: No. And I, I think that even if you come to the table with solutions that aren't accepted. Right. That maybe there, there are better solutions that the team comes to. Uh, as long as you're showing up with some thoughtful solutions along with the problem, I think that you get credit for that. I've seen that time and time again. Hey, that was a, uh, that was a really creative, outside of the box idea. Kat. We're actually going to do this, but, hey, thanks for that idea.

Speaker B: And that's it. People appreciate trying as much as trying doesn't get it done or whatever. Like, if you come and say, I don't know and end it and say, I didn't know how to do this, I thought maybe we could do this or maybe we could do this. But I want to run it by you and get your ideas home run. And even if the actual solution isn't

Speaker A: one of your suggestions.

Speaker B: Yeah, it's fine. You didn't just come in and say, I can't do it. Wah. That doesn't help anybody. So we each own our own employee experience. You're the CEO of your career, all the things and managers are responsible for making the experience of their teams as positive as possible. So as a manager, you're taking on that. You understand what your team has on their plate, what they're going through, what the workload looks like, who likes doing what, who doesn't like doing what, giving growth opportunities. Being a manager is a lot of work. Um, there are basics obviously that lead into this employee experience concept, like comp and benefits and perks. They're important and if they're not aligned with your needs or your roles, they'll absolutely affect your experience as employee. But the things that we're talking about in terms of your role, your career, it's really around you and your leadership and communicating and clarifying and being on the same page.

Speaker A: And it really comes down to communication, regular updates, clear expectations, and having the right workload and tools to be successful. If we can help you navigate any of these things, don't hesitate to reach out because we would be happy to, uh, add an addendum to this series if you have a question that we haven't addressed.

Speaker B: For sure.

Speaker A: Thanks for listening.

Speaker B: Until next time. This is Real Job Talk, a podcast about jobs, careers and what's not set at the water cooler.

Speaker A: Our website with all Real Job Talk related information is realjobtalk.com we'd love to hear from you.

Speaker B: Please send us your questions, topics you'd like to talk about, and Real Job Talk stories and you may find them featured on a future episode. Use the website or email us@realjobtalkmail ah.com

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Speaker B: and on Instagram and Facebook at Real Job Talkshow.

Speaker A: My name is Kat Troyer. You can find me on Twitter aaliekat and on LinkedIn. You can find me via Kathleen Nelson

Speaker B: Troyer and I'm Liz Bronson. On Twitter I'm Izbeaks consult and um, on LinkedIn, I'm Liz Bronson.

Speaker A: Real Job Talk is a tech reckoning production. Our producer is John Mark Froyer. Our graphic artists are Lexi and Zachary Bronson and we're here by the water cooler waiting to talk with you.

Speaker B: Mhm.

Speaker A: Sam.