Staff satisfaction should be of paramount importance for business leaders who want to be able to get the most out of their teams. Indeed, a happy team is a productive team and that’s why many business leaders dedicate time to researching what they can do to help improve their team’s wellbeing in the workplace.
The Manual of Me concept is one such idea which aims to help managers and leaders really get the most out of their people, by offering a platform for transparency and excellent communication between team members. The manual aims to empower workers and give teams the confidence to be able to work together in a considerate way which celebrates diversity and difference, enabling teams to work better together.
A Manual of Me is a document which includes professional and personal information about an individual. It might include a simple ‘about me’ section, details on working hours and locations, information on personality type or even details about an individuals preferred working style, how they prefer to receive feedback or even their passions inside and outside of the workplace.
It’s a way for team members to write down the things that are important to them, which they believe will help other team members better understand them – eventually creating a culture within which everyone is able to work comfortably together.
According to the concept creator Matthew Knight:
“A Manual of Me is a simple but powerful concept to communicate to others what you need in order to do your best work, what you bring to a project, how you need support, how you work – and what needs to be true for you to thrive.
At its heart – it’s a simple document which lists an individual’s preferences and working styles. But beyond that, it’s a powerful way to create space, time and support for people to share their differences, create inclusion and connection – and most critically, build stronger and more human relationships with each other.”
This is a concept designed to help improve the modern workplace through ensuring teams have the ability to be open and honest with each other. For example, if a team member prefers to receive straight forward and honest feedback, you as a business leader can do that by utilising the Manual of Me concept. Likewise, if you have a team member who prefers feedback to be dealt with sensitively, the Manual of Me helps to make that possible and ensures everyone involved is able to communicate effectively.
Since the COVID pandemic the evolution of a typical workplace in the UK has seen a rapid acceleration thanks to a range of factors. One big change many industries are seeing is a shift towards a greater emphasis on employee wellbeing and staff satisfaction. As we mentioned earlier, a happy team is a productive team and that’s why it’s now considered by be economically viable to invest time and money into making the workplace better for your staff.
It’s because of this that, ‘how to work with me’ documents like the Manual of Me and other similar concepts are part of a bigger trend which is encouraging business leaders to learn more about the likes and dislikes of their employees – what makes them tick and what can the employer do in order to really make the most of their skills in the workplace?
It can also help contract workers too and those who regularly work within different teams. ‘How to work with me’ documents create a universal platform through which staff are able to present themselves and ‘break the ice’ with new colleagues in an innovative way.
Individuals and teams could build a how to work with me document themselves, much in the same way you might create a CV or a personal profile at work. The Manual of Me website however does offer an interactive builder platform which allows individuals to create a free Manual of Me. Teams and businesses can join the platform for a monthly fee which allows for even greater interactivity and functionality – perfect for business leaders who want to be able to quickly roll out a how to work with me platform to their team.
Find out more on the Manual of Me website.
