Office life can be a bustling experience. Working with different individuals can sometimes be challenging, especially when the employees all come from different walks of life. You’ll have different cultures, different personalities, different worlds intermingling. Some people might clash with others, or otherwise create challenges one might not expect.
Here are some ways to turn that office misfit into a valuable asset; a business leader.
Find the Problem
This might not be so easy to find out, especially if they’re not vocal about it. Some people are shy and don’t want to bring up topics that may be uncomfortable for them. However, it’s in the best interest of everyone to get it out into the open so that it can be dealt with appropriately.
It could be something as simple as a misunderstanding. Regardless of the root cause, finding this out early can be a great boon to the continued success of the office.
Find Out What the Employee Excels at
Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. The key to a thriving office is capitalizing on strengths while making certain disadvantages don’t bring you down. One of the best ways to do this is by finding out what the employee does best and limiting situations in which they don’t perform well. For instance, if they’re good with technology but struggle with social situations, you might want them leading the way on e-commerce trends of the future rather than being charged with sales calls and client meetings. That way they utilize their talents
Teamwork is another thing that gets taken for granted. Some employees make great team leaders while others are best at being team members. Being able to delegate tasks better than actually doing them is no less critical to make sure things get done in a timely and efficient manner.
Have Regular Meetings
Some office workers may dread meetings, but they’re an essential part of the working day. Too many meetings can have a detrimental effect, so you want to make sure these meetings have a purpose. A useful purpose is to make sure that everyone is doing well in their assigned tasks.
If progress doesn’t materialize as predicted, it might do well to switch some tasks around to freshen things up. Maybe that office misfit isn’t doing efficient work in report generation, but perhaps they will enjoy and excel at customer communication. A meeting can help bring these issues out so that solutions can are found with everyone at the same table.
Discover Talent During the Hiring Process
Companies can’t afford to overlook the hiring process. This is your first impression of the employee, but an interview may not reveal all that an employee has to offer. It’s entirely possible that they have a skill they aren’t even aware of that could help the office run smoother, so this is where you want to prod and poke to see their potential.
You might not be able to see the prospective employee’s strengths right away at the interview, but asking the right questions can give you insight into how they will approach the job and how they will fit into the office community.
It’s also important to ask them if they have any questions for you, as this will also tell you what they consider to be important in the workplace, further bringing about any possible strengths they may be bringing to the table.