The Associated Press called it an “extraordinary request,” but it’s certainly not extraordinary. In fact, it’s incredibly ordinary for employees to report what they are working on.
And, from an HR perspective, I love it. Mostly. Here’s why:
1. Knowing what your employees do is necessary for success
How many misunderstandings have you faced in your time in business? Probably more than you can count.
You tell an employee to do A and the employee does B. It’s not (always) because your employees are bad employees or you are a bad boss. It’s because things aren’t always clear.
Additionally, your best employees often take initiative and just get stuff done. You don’t hear about it, because there is no need to loop you in. It just happens. But, your worst employees get constant contact and communication. So, when it comes time to promote or give raises, you’re keenly aware of what your needy employees do all day every day, but have no idea what your best employees do.
This type of exercise, done on a regular basis, keeps you up to date. It’s also incredibly helpful should someone get sick, have a family emergency, or quit. You have documentation of what they do on a regular basis.
To read the remaining four reasons I love it and the reason I don’t, please click here: 5 Reasons I Love Elon Musk’s Request for Five Things, and 1 Reason I Hate It
