As team leads or managers, one of your main responsibilities is to help your team members to enjoy working at Tofugu. We’ll be measuring that by asking team members the following twelve questions. But, you can use it as a reference on how to build a good place to work.

1. I know what is expected of me at work.
2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right.
3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.
4. In the last seven days, I have received valuable, constructive feedback on my work.
5. My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.
6. There is someone at work who encourages my development.
7. At work, my opinions seem to count.
8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.
9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.
10. I have time and energy for the things I care about outside of work.
11. In the last six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress.
12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow.

Getting a positive response to all twelve of these questions from each and every colleague is tough! But, the more that people feel positively about these, the more satisfied people will be with their time at Tofugu. In addition, you are helping colleagues to be more productive and engaged with their work as well.

As a team lead or manager, you are in a unique position to have a direct effect on these twelve items. Nobody else can create this kind of environment in your team. People leave managers, not companies—or so the saying / huge Gallup survey goes.

It is a manager’s responsibility to help colleagues make progress with the issues these questions pose. And, although the goals and outcomes are clear, how you do it is up to you. There is no one way to encourage someone’s development, for example. Not to mention, each and every colleague will have different meanings and requirements for what a perfect score might be. By getting to know each individual and unique person, you’ll better be able to serve your colleagues and help them to enjoy their work and be more productive.

Breaking the 12 Questions Down

There are twelve questions, but that doesn’t mean they are created equal. They are written in order of how foundational they are, and can be broken down into four distinct categories of progress.

1. What do I get?

This is the most foundational stage. Needs are pretty basic. Often, people who are just starting are in this stage.