Do you let your people express their thoughts about the roles and responsibilities they have in your organisation? Don't just take it for granted that everything's fine because no one complains.

Organisations often spend a fortune on purchasing office furniture/computer software/filing systems etc. only to find out they are unsuitable because the people who use them were never consulted about what their needs were.

One of my clients moved into new premises some time ago and kept the old office furniture. It didn't suit the image of the new premises and caused real health problems with my client's team. One of the staff had a constant sore back and eyestrain - all related to her desk and chair; the other staff member suffered from sore wrists when working on the computer. Neither of them had mentioned anything to their boss.

With all the rapid changes happening in an organisation, many bosses forget that it is their people who make their organisation tick. So talk to your team - find out their challenges and work out the solutions. If you ask questions and listen to your staff, you might just learn how to save yourself thousands of dollars!

In my experience, if there is a major problem occurring in an organisation whether it is big or small, that problem is generally caused through poor communication. Having regular meetings with your team is crucial for a happy and productive workplace. Working with people is not like a production line. We are all different, with very different needs - "one size definitely does not fit all".

Start today in your organisation - take action and get those lines of communication happening!