Five questions you should ask each employee every month
The individual employee-manager relationship is special. And one-on-one questions each month will help you understand how the work process is going and how much they enjoy doing their job. Also, with monthly participation, you'll be able to identify the previous month's problems, and better plan for the future. You'll help your employees to develop themselves, and they'll feel that you and the company care about them.
1. What was your biggest challenge this month?
One out of four employees feel that their manager/boss doesn't know about their problems and doesn't ask about issues about which they need the manager's help. Asking this question will help you to focus and understand what skills the employee needs to develop, or how you can help them delegate work. Therefore, later on, you can easily prioritize and understand - what types of tasks you can give them.
2. What would you do differently if you could go back in time?
This question will give staff the opportunity for self-development and analysis of the results.
It will also help them create a working map to avoid mistakes in the future.
The question will help them build their confidence and familiarise them with different ways of doing things, and make them more open to experimenting in the future.
You can also ask the following questions to help you analyse the problem in more depth:
At what point did you realize that you should have done things differently? Was there anything you could have done that would have helped you react more quickly?
Were there any reasons why you didn't talk about it?
A manager always prefers to know the real reason, even if it results in a temporary suspension of the activities in question. It is better to start with the root of the problem than to approach the solution superficially and then waste time on the same problem again.
3. What can I do to make the next month more successful for you?
By taking a similar approach and asking this question, staff can plan ahead and understand where they may need additional resource support. On the other hand, you will know in advance what possible issue (or even problem) may arise in the future.
The employee may need some material resources, such as books, instructions, training, and knowing this will allow you to plan and allocate appropriate resources in advance.
4. Is there any project/projects you would like to be involved in?
33% of employees feel that they are not adequately involved in decisions that affect their work.
And by learning about his/her initiatives, the employee feels a deeper connection to his/her job.
Involving employees in decision making lets them feel that you value their opinions and care about their development.
Note** You can't always make sure everyone works on the initiative they want. But demonstrating that you are willing to try will help your employees to be direct and open in the future.
5. Are there any projects that you are involved in but would rather not be involved in?
With this action, you open up a new area where employees are free to express and point out issues (areas) in which they feel uncomfortable or no longer see opportunities for self-development.
If you approach this question carefully, and take employee feedback into account, you are sure to protect job satisfaction.
This question will signal to employees that they are free to express themselves and their thoughts.
After listening to the answer, your feedback is needed, and you can clarify the details:
I'm glad we had this conversation. Is there anything I can do to help you find your place in this project?
Was there anything I missed when I thought you would be good here?
A good manager asks questions, but a better manager acts to improve the answers he or she gets.
When you ask questions of your team or individual employees, remember that it does not end with their immediate answers. Be sure to pay attention to important details and keep track of further developments. You should take effective steps and try to improve the working environment for them. The satisfaction of each employee and a positive attitude towards work is an important guarantee for the quality and success of your product/service.
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