“How will this really help my employees?” AK asked, intrigued.

AK heads operations at a small company. During a casual coffee chat with GK, he shared a couple of challenges and mused on ways to better motivate his team.

 

GK: “Let me ask – when do most people’s EMIs fall due?”

AK: “I think, usually around the 1st, 3rd, 5th, or 7th of the month. Sometimes as late as the 10th.”

 

GK: “And how easy is it to change an EMI date with bank?”

AK: “Honestly, I have no idea.”

 

GK: “Its not easy. Remind me, when do you pay your employees?”

AK: “The 5th of every month.”

 

GK: “If you were one of those employees relying on your salary, how would you manage your EMI payments?”

AK: “I’d probably set aside next month’s EMI amount as soon as I get paid.”

 

GK: “How does it feel to have that money set aside, but untouchable, at the end of each month?”

AK: “Frustrating – the money’s there, but I can’t use it for anything else.”

 

GK: “Exactly. That cash is just sitting there.”

AK: “If I paid them a bit earlier, it could make a real difference in their financial flexibility. That would definitely ease some stress.”

 

GK: “Empathy is powerful. One of my past managers really exemplified this. He always tried to put himself in his employees’ shoes to make thoughtful decisions.”

“Do you know what he did? He shifted salary date to the last day of each month, so employees didn’t have to scramble at the start of the month. And for contractors, he moved contractors payments to the 1st, instead of the usual 4th or 5th.”

AK: “Wow, that’s a fantastic approach. Why didn’t I think of this?”

 

GK: “Consider having open strategy workouts with your leadership team to prioritize meaningful changes, assign owners to these initiatives, give them the resources they need, and track progress monthly or quarterly. That is one way, you can address most of the challenges effectively with help of other leaders.”

 

Have you thought about small changes you could make that might have a big impact on your team’s well-being?

What’s one way you can make life a little easier for your team today?

 

#Leadership #Empathy #EmployeeWellbeing #Motivation #TeamSupport #LeadershipDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #EmployeeExperience #GrowthMindset #Team