How to get a shy staff member to come out of their shell

If you have a shy staff member in your team, it can often feel frustrating trying to get the best out of them. Sure, they may be great at their job – but introverts can pose challenges when working in a team. They may not be able to communicate as effectively, for example. They also may bottle up fears or anxieties rather than telling you about them. This can have long-term effects; it could mean the staff member is deeply unhappy and eventually leaves your company – when if they had told you, you could have helped them.

Use email

Email is a great tool for introverted people because they can effectively communicate without feeling exposed. They can type, delete and re-type exactly what they want to say – so encourage the use of email at your workplace. Keep your door ‘open’ so to speak – tell your staff member that you are always there to listen to whatever is on their mind or any concerns they may have. Use messenger services in your company, like Google Hangouts, to encourage staff to keep in contact with each other.

Check in regularly

Shy people may stay quiet when something is up. Encourage regular contact. If the shy member of staff feels intimidated, ask them if they’re OK in private (rather than in front of the office.) If the staff member fails to disclose anything, follow up your question in an email. Don’t just assume everything is OK if you get a feeling it’s not. However, at the same time, respect silence. According to bplans.com, an introvert is usually quiet for one of two reasons: either everything’s already been said or he’s too busy coming up with a plan. So respect their silence and create a workplace environment where there’s no pressure to say something when there’s really nothing important to say.

Make them feel valued

This goes for all staff members, not just shy employees! Make your staff feel valued and appreciated. Try bringing in free snacks, for example. Fruitful Office say that in their survey, bringing in a fruit basket into the office makes 79% of staff feel more valued as an employee. Not only this, but over 80% of their clients said that following the introduction of fruit in the office “Quality of life in the office” improved.

You don’t just have to buy things, though. Make them feel valued by telling them at the end of each day.

Act as their voice

When required, you may need to speak out for the employee who is introverted and can’t/doesn’t want to speak up for themselves. In a meeting, raise any points they had (giving credit to them) and respect the fact that they don’t wish to speak up all the time (or at all.)

We are all different in this world, so although it might feel frustrating to you or other team members, it’s important to embrace your introverted staff members because they can be a great addition to your workforce.