We all have employees who come to us and share personal problems and information. My experience has taught me not to become overly involved in an employee’s personal challenges. I listen and endeavor to triage the situation when somebody is venting legitimately. For example, if a spouse has a cancer diagnosis, I allow them an opportunity to express their pain and suffering. We need to be good listeners.

There are several reasons I don’t to get involved in staff issues such as financial difficulties, marital concerns or other personal issues. I avoid this, not because I don’t care, but because when I insert myself into an employee’s problem; the situation becomes partly my problem. I don’t give investment advice because if what I suggest goes wrong, the person will likely blame me even if other ideas turned to gold.

We all have employees who come to us and share personal problems and information. My experience has taught me not to become overly involved in an employee’s personal challenges. I listen and endeavor to triage the situation when somebody is venting legitimately. For example, if a spouse has a cancer diagnosis, I allow them an opportunity to express their pain and suffering. We need to be good listeners.

At times I have conducted performance evaluations with staff.  I have been surprised when I’ve given a strong rating to somebody followed by offering areas for improvement that some individuals take exception to criticism, regardless of how valid it is.

A study by Dr. Jeremy Bernerth, Associate Professor of Management at San Diego University, writes “those with a proclivity to be offended (PTBO) make terrible employees.”

In his report Dr. Bernerth writes: “What is PTBO? According to the study, it's a state-like tendency to be sensitive to customarily innocuous societal events and traditions,’ such as ‘playing of the United States' National Anthem,’ and is the ‘tendency to view an array of events and/or traditions as offensive.’ People with high PTBO ‘are likely to feel that social events or traditions to which they take offense also violate moral or equitable standards.’"

As business leaders, many of us think that if we say something once or subtly; our team will pick up our message and work toward our goal.  However, Paul wrote, “Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8, NIV)

We need to sound a consistent and clear call of what must be done by whom and by when. Unfortunately, a few words will never suffice.  Just like the trumpet sounded a clear alarm in the days of Paul, we must sound a clear call to action.

All of us like to be understood.  A recent study by Businessolver, titled “2019 State of Workplace Empathy” documented that 93% of employees would stay with an empathetic employer. Furthermore, the study indicated 82% of employees would leave their position to work for a more empathetic organization. 

When you drive down the street and see help wanted signs everywhere, you recognize the critical problem that employee retention is.  However, it’s not always about the money.