The most important aspect of making an organization and hence better productivity at the overall level is the boosting of employees’ self-esteem. Self-esteem is a feeling of worthiness and confidence an individual possesses in his abilities. A good feeling among the workers about themselves helps them make a good contribution to the working environment, leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Importance of Self-Esteem at the Workplace
Studies show that people who have high self-esteem are highly engaged and productive. In fact, studies have revealed that people who believe in themselves can take the initiative to accept challenges and work very well with colleagues.
On the other hand, low self-esteem can result in so many adverse consequences such as decreased motivation, poor job performance, increased absenteeism, and many others. For instance, companies focused on employee wellbeing have managed to reduce by as much as 30 percent turnover rate and are even gaining a higher score than other firms concerning employee satisfaction.
How Self-Esteem Influences Performance
A highly important factor on how an employee views the job of an organization is self-esteem. High-esteem employees have more trust in their judgments, so they are able to decide confidently. That confidence converts into good problem-solving ability and the ability to take calculated risks. On the other hand, employees having low self-esteem will tend to shy away from voice ideas or discuss issues and may not present them since they are scared of evaluation or rejection.
In addition, self-esteem is a factor that influences interpersonal working relationships. The employees are likely to develop good rapport with their colleagues and bring about a collaborative environment as they feel secure in their selves. This feeling can improve team dynamics, enhancing innovation and creativity in an organization.
Strategies that Enhance Employee Self-Esteem
There are some strategies that organizations can utilize to enhance employee self-esteem effectively:
- Positive Reinforcement: The building of self-esteem is a good way to initiate self-esteem in people through recognition and appreciation of achievements. When managers make the employees feel that their contributions do matter, they enhance the sense of worth in them. A research indicated that a workforce who gets positive reinforcement daily was 14% more productive than those not getting the reinforcement.
- Provide Autonomy: Giving the employees freedom to decide how they should do their work will help them feel ownership and responsibility. If employees are trusted to handle their tasks, they feel more confident and take more initiative.
- Growth Opportunities: The organizations should provide continuous development opportunities for the enhancement of self-esteem. They should invest in the training programs, mentorships, and workshops for the acquisition of new skills and knowledge by the employees. As research findings, employees engaged in professional development are 15% likely to be satisfied with their job.
- Constructive feedback: Though praise is critical, constructive criticism also plays an integral role in developing employees’ skills. This allows them to understand their shortcomings and how to overcome them while not forgetting about their capabilities.
- Encourage Experimentation: In the modern workplace, risk-taking with no fear of heavy-handed criticism is the foundation to building self-esteem. Risk encouragement allows experimentation by which one learns from mistakes and triumphs, further leading to personal and professional growth.
Benefits to Organizations Having Self-Esteem Employees
Organizations benefit more from the investment done on employees’ self-esteem. Companies with high regard for the welfare of employees retain their workers longer and spend less on recruitment. For example, organizations with highly engaged employees have 21% higher profitability than disengaged employees.
Apart from that, a good esteem culture boosts the general wellbeing within the place of work. Most valued workers tend to exhibit loyalty toward the organization whereby the levels of turnover may be extremely reduced. Engaged Employees at Work have 41% less absence compared with other workplaces less engaged
Boosting employee self-esteem is not only important to the well-being of individual employees but is an important strategic step in transforming organizations from within. By fostering a culture of trust and empowerment, one unlocks the full potential of that workforce. It leads to a great improvement in productivity while creating a positive workplace culture that will attract top talent and retain it.
An organization must recognize the deep significance that self-esteem has for the work performances and success of its employees. Thus, a firm can build an innovative, excellence-oriented environment by employing policies aimed at boosting employee confidence and personal growth. This will prove to be a positive scenario for both the individuals and the organizations.
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