Poster of the Month, April 2016: Teamwork means working together

We are all in the same boat

But if you are
sticking your oar in
when you should be
pulling your weight
we will never get
the job done

We need to work together to get to where we need to be


April's Poster of the Month is a reminder of the importance of working together and sharing the load.

When you are working to get the job done, there is nothing worse than people interfering and telling you what you're doing, or the way you're doing it, is wrong. This is especially true if these people are supposed to be helping!

Good ideas can often lead to improvements, but there is a time and a place to put those ideas forward and it's not in the middle of a busy shift with deadlines approaching.

The poster is really a gentle reminder that we're all on the same side and that working hard together is the only way to get the job done on time.

Kodiak has many more workplace posters on the subjects of productivity and teamwork.
To find out more, please give us a call on 01530 456 000.

Poster of the Month, July 2015: Valuing your employees

We can only offer the best

QUALITY PRODUCTS

and the best

QUALITY SERVICE

if we have the best

QUALITY PEOPLE

Your winning efforts help us to be the best

July's Poster of the Month is a positive, morale-boosting message that tells employees how much their efforts are appreciated.

It doesn't matter how good your equipment is, or how good your resources and materials are. If you don't have the skilled people who can make it all work, you may as well have nothing.  

Showing appreciation to employees for the work they do improves morale, teamwork and motivation — making a better workplace for everyone.

Could Kodiak posters help your business or organisation spread positive messages and improve morale? 

We have a wide range of posters on these subjects, available via our sales team.

For more information, please call us on 01530 456 000 or visit our website: www.kodiak.co.uk

Tackling absenteeism

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According to the Office for National Statistics, 131 million days were lost due to sickness absences in the UK in 2013. This figure is down from 178 million days in 1993, but still represents a significant problem to UK employers.

While minor illnesses were the most common reason given for sickness absence, back, neck and muscle pain accounted for more lost days than any other cause.

How absenteeism is affecting your organisation

• Increased costs due to administration, wages paid to absent employees and high costs of paying overtime or hiring temporary staff.

• Possible safety issues caused by temporary and less experienced staff coming in at short notice and having to work quickly to catch up.

• Reduced quality / productivity due to provisional staffing measures i.e. less experienced temporary staff or overworked regular staff.

• Managers diverted from their regular duties to attend to staffing problems.

• Low morale where other employees are called upon to pick up the slack.

Sickness absence is just one reason for absenteeism

There are other reasons your employees may be unexpectedly absent from work. 

Some examples include employees who:

• take holidays without booking the time off first
• are being bullied or harassed at work
• are experiencing work-related stress
• have to take care of sick children or relatives
• have low motivation and take "sickies"
• call in sick to attend job interviews

How do you manage your employee sick days?

Tackling absenteeism can be a challenge and the ways of managing sick days can also be problematic. 

Some employers offer paid sick leave, but this system is open to abuse. Without a doctor's note it can be difficult to determine if an employee is genuinely ill.

Some employers offer a set number of paid sick days to be used as needed throughout the year. However, under this system, employees may see their sick days as days owed and take them whether or not they genuinely need to.

Some employers take a harder line and offer Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) only. The problem with this system is that employees who are genuinely ill are put in a position where they are likely to lose money and may feel pressure to work through their illness or return to work sooner than they really should.

In the case of employees with contagious conditions, such as flu or gastro viruses, this risks spreading germs to colleagues. It is also particularly hazardous in food manufacturing or catering environments where germs can be transferred to food and potentially infect a larger number of people.

Getting to the root of the problem

Another way of tackling the problem is to look at the root causes, as described above.

This approach might involve:

• regularly reminding employees to book time off for their holidays
• tackling issues like bullying and harassment by encouraging open communications, offering support to victims and reiterating to perpetrators that this behaviour will not be tolerated and could have serious consequences
• offering advice on managing heavy workloads, time pressures and stress; and encouraging employees to speak out if they are struggling
• looking at ways to improve employee motivation by encouraging a strong teamwork ethic and making your employees feel their contributions are valued 
• trying to retain valued staff by offering more training and/or opportunities
• reminding employees that their company and colleagues rely on them

Kodiak's poster subscription service regularly addresses all of these issues

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If you would like to try a more pro-active approach to managing absenteeism, our posters could help. 

For more information visit: www.kodiak.co.uk 

Or call us on: 01530 456 000

Communication: How to keep it simple

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I read a quote yesterday that said anything that improves a process does so by simplifying it. This is true of so many processes – especially communication.

Poor communication can cause many failings in a workplace – confusion, inaccuracy and catastrophe are just some of them. Over time these can fester into frustration, conflict and resentment between your employees.

So how do we simplify our communications and make them more effective?

Make it C.L.E.A.R.Ensure the information you are imparting is:

Complete, as far as possible;
Located in the correct and logical place;
Explained as fully and clearly as you can;
Accurate with all the relevant information; and
Readable if hand-written

Choose the correct recipients
How many times, as a customer, have you telephoned a business and been passed through to three or more people before you finally get to speak to the right person?

Reaching the right recipients is sometimes as simple as putting the information in the right place, so that everyone who needs access, has access.

If the information pertains to an issue that needs resolving, then it may be more about listening carefully and gaining a sufficient understanding of the problem to determine who is best-equipped to deal with it.

Choose the correct method of communication
Try to ensure that the method of communication is as clear, concise and efficient as possible.

For example, if a message is so complicated that it would take an essay to explain it properly in writing, then it may be best to talk to the person directly.

Similarly, email is not the best medium if you require an immediate answer or if your issue is likely to need resolving via a two-way conversation.

Communicate as directly as possible
If you ever played Whispers as a child, you will know how a message can change the more people it passes through. The same is true in a workplace – the more people who pass on a message, and put their spin on it, the less likely it will reach the recipient(s) as it was intended.

Within reason, try to encourage a more open system where people can communicate more directly between each other and between departments. The shorter the chain of people involved, the more likely it will be delivered in a timely manner and with less capacity for misunderstandings.

The same is true when making day-to-day decisions. The more people involved and the more opinions on the table, the harder it is to reach a conclusion. Involving only those with the relevant experience and authority makes the process simpler and easier to administer.

Communicate as consistently as possible
As a customer, have you ever been liaising with a company where several different people have given you several conflicting pieces of information? Frustrating, isn't it?

Problems like this are usually down to data quality – or lack of it. To communicate effectively and consistently, both inside and outside the company, everyone needs access to the same current information, which should, ideally, be updated across the board.

Kodiak's motivational workplace poster programme deals with simple and effective workplace communications on a regular basis.

If you would like to find out more about how our posters can help to improve communications in your workplace, please contact us for an informal chat.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Workplace communication: Breaking down the barriers

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How many mishaps in your workplace have happened as a result of a breakdown in communication?

Communication problems can cause chaos, confusion, conflict and complaints. Not to mention costs in lost revenue from mistakes and dissatisfied customers.

The problems are common in most workplaces, mainly because communication is often reliant on individuals, who can themselves become barriers.

So what are the main barriers and how do we go about breaking them down?

Speaking
Remember that speaking is about what you say and how you say it. Studies show that just 7% of the information you impart to others comes from your words, but 38% of what you give away is in your tone of voice.

Stop, think and take a breath before you speak to make sure it comes out right. Avoid rambling, mumbling, using a monotone voice or speaking too loudly or quietly. Plan what you want to say and deliver it in an upbeat tone.

Listening
Whether you are taking a message or receiving an instruction, you need to give the other person your full attention and listen carefully to what they are saying. If you don't, how can you expect to relay a message or act on an instruction correctly?

Understanding
When the other person has finished speaking, make sure you have understood what has been said. It is often a good idea to repeat it back, just to be on the safe side.

Conversation
A conversation is a two-way process. You need to listen as much as you speak and allow the other person(s) to have their say without interrupting them.

Body language
Research shows that up to 55% of what you communicate to others comes from your body language. To engage your listeners and build trust, avoid fidgeting, folding your arms or looking at the floor. Be positive, keep your arms open and use plenty of eye contact.

Writing things down
If you are taking a message, it may help to write it down. Remember to include the time and date, plus the name and telephone number of the person you spoke to. Write the details clearly and legibly to avoid any confusion. You may need to ask the other person to spell out any difficult words or names.

Passing on messages
Always remember to pass on messages you have taken. Do it straight away and make sure it reaches the right person.

For further tips and advice, see my previous blog, which focuses on conflict in the workplace.

Kodiak's workplace poster programme covers all aspects of successful communication.

We have posters on a variety of communication topics including listening, speaking, body language, taking messages and resolving workplace conflict.

For more information, or to find out how our posters could improve communication in your company, please contact us.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter.

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us.

Employee morale: The importance of employee engagement

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We are going through a difficult economic time and the ongoing government spending cuts have left many people unsettled and feeling the pinch. Businesses too are facing added pressures, and at a time when they most need to prosper.

Companies and their employees have a co-dependency. While the employees rely on the company for ongoing employment; the company relies on its employees to keep it at its most productive and to maintain its quality standards.

It is easy to dismiss the issue of employee morale as 'management speak', but research shows that the spirit and enthusiasm of the workforce, or lack of it, can have a significant effect on business performance.

Employees who feel involved and valued are more dedicated to improving performance. Employees who feel disgruntled with, or apathetic about, their employers are more likely to have a negative effect on productivity and standards.

So how can we improve employee morale?

One way of gaining respect and commitment from your employees is to show respect and commitment to them.

Be more open
Ask your employees for their ideas and input. What makes their job more difficult? Can they see a way to improve service, save time or reduce waste? Giving them a chance to express their feelings, or frustrations, makes them feel better and gives you valuable insights into things you might be doing wrong.

Be proactive when it comes to change
Take the lead in instigating changes. Some employees can feel very unsettled, or even threatened, by changes at work. Be upfront about what is happening and how it will affect your employees. Invite them to ask questions or voice their concerns. This will help them to buy into new initiatives rather than shying away or rebelling against them.

Encourage them to shine as individuals
Think about what they can do to help themselves – perhaps to improve their confidence or to change their attitude to something.

Encourage them to work as a team
Teamwork can be positive and rewarding, but you only get out of it what you are prepared to put in.

Celebrate small achievements
An achievement could be anything that makes a difference to someone else's day. It could be a kind gesture, a friendly word, an offer of support or just giving someone something to smile about.

Employee morale is a subject that is covered every month in Kodiak's motivational poster programme.

To find out how Kodiak posters can help improve morale in your company or organisation, why not get in touch.

For daily tips on dealing with common workplace issues, why not follow us on Twitter

If you would like to find out how Kodiak posters 
can help your business work smoother, smarter 
and safer, please call us on: 01530 456 000 
or email us