Tomatoes in the garden

Tomatoes are great teachers! It seems like they teach me something new every season.

I have planted the wrong type of tomatoes and I’ve killed them by over fertilizing them. I finally had success last year, but I still made mistakes. I planted them in an area of my garden that had a lot of shade. I didn’t realize how much sunlight they needed! I also didn’t give them any support when I first planted them. I heard that I should have a cage or trellis around them to support the vines and weight of the tomatoes, but I planned to add that later if they needed it.

Guess what? They needed support, and it was much harder to add it once the plant started growing.

Do you see any similarities between employees and tomatoes yet?

How much sunshine and support are you giving your employees? Are they tucked into a cubicle, squished into an office the size of a broom closet, or feeling left out working remotely? Do you wait to offer support until the weight of their responsibilities is dragging them down?

You had big goals for your juicy tomatoes when you hired them, but they need your leadership to produce the amount of fruit you’re expecting!

So how do you support the tomatoes in your organization? Start by evaluating where they are in their growth process. Do they need some sunshine internally or externally? Would they like to move to a new area in the company? A physical change of scenery can help anyone. Would they prefer a different role in the organization? Are they burned out and/or overwhelmed with their current job responsibilities? Just because someone performs their duties well doesn’t mean that they enjoy doing them. They may need a mental change of pace. Can you shift some responsibilities to give them some time to work on that idea they’ve been proposing?

If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that all employees need support. While some organizations could work remotely, others had to forge on as if a worldwide pandemic was something they knew how to handle. Now that the world is finding a new normal, support in the workplace should be a priority.

The onboarding experience for new employees can offer support from the start. Employees can be assigned mentors and receive the tools and training necessary to do their jobs properly. Benefit packages should be as rich as possible and communicated well so that employees can make selections that meet their needs. I strongly recommend that every employer offer an EAP plan so employees always have access to mental health providers.

Finally, support comes from relationships. Employees must have opportunities to connect with each other. Celebrate birthdays and work anniversaries. If you have a fun environment, keep a helium tank with some balloons in an office so you can deliver one at a moment’s notice. Celebrate personal and family achievements, too. Whether it’s a child’s graduation or the birth of a grandchild, your employee will appreciate your interest. Challenging times need support, too. Health challenges, financial concerns, and aging parents can be tough to navigate alone. Often, employees don’t realize what options they have or how your benefits package can help. However, it is much easier for both of you to talk if you're already nurturing a supportive relationship.

Now think about your employees and what changes might benefit your tomatoes. After all, the stronger they are, the better your organization is!

Categories: : Retention