Employees will be more proactive if they feel genuinely heard by their bosses and coworkers, as well as if they feel their contributions truly matter to their organizations. In addition, proactive employees will also feel more empowered to make their own decisions and get work done without the fear of being micromanaged or penalized.
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Continue reading to learn more about why you want to develop more proactive employees.
Greater Employee Accountability
Employees won’t be proactive if they are constantly micromanaged or unable to take responsibility for their actions and decisions; rather, they will be more proactive when they’re given the leniency to work when and how they want and are encouraged to make important decisions on their own. They will have a greater sense of accountability for their work and their daily decisions because they aren’t micromanaged and they understand that their decisions have real-world consequences (both good and bad) that they need to be responsible for.
More Productive and Happier Employees
Research continues to prove that empowered employees are more productive and happier, which ultimately leads to a healthier bottom line for your organization overall.
When employees are encouraged to seek their own answers and solve problems on their own, as well as are happier at work and allowed to be more proactive, they not only will be less inclined to leave their employer but also will perform better, leading to higher retention rates and a healthier bottom line.
Better Innovation and Problem Solving
When employees are encouraged to learn, collaborate, and conduct research and projects on their own terms, they’ll become better innovators and problem solvers. These proactive employees will be more inclined to solve problems because they can pursue lines of inquiry and “think outside the box” without fear of repercussions or being micromanaged.
Improved Communications
When employees have the flexibility to pursue their own lines of inquiry or complete work when and how they want, communications across your organization will improve. Employees can’t be proactive without open and transparent communications, so with this flexibility, they can naturally collaborate and rely on one another as they proactively solve problems and innovate together.
Higher-Quality Customer Service
Proactive employees who are more innovative, are better at solving problems, and communicate better can deliver higher-quality customer service overall. Instead of waiting to hear back from managers and superiors on how to handle a customer complaint or concern, they will have been encouraged to be proactive and can, therefore, problem solve and handle the issue on their own to ensure customers walk away satisfied.
All in all, developing more proactive employees is better for your organization’s people and customers, as well as its bottom line.