In 2024 talk to your employees more.
In some of the recent companies I’ve worked with the biggest blind spots were discovered through talking with their frontline workers about their day-to-day, and asking them what their frustrations were.
Sometimes it’s a new computer, because their current one crashes all the time, making them lose all their work.
Sometimes it’s training others on their system, so they have redundancy.
One company’s shipping staff walked an average of 10mi per-day, due to inefficient inventory placement and order handling. This was discovered through shadowing and asking “what would make your life easier?”
I’ve had employees almost break down in tears after asking that question, simply because no manager or executive has ever asked them that before.
It can be so easy to focus on 10,000ft metrics when you’re making large strategic decisions daily. But Ground Level is where you establish your foundation and seal up the cracks, before building higher.
If nothing else, your employees will feel seen and heard. And that’s worth gold.