Are your employees engaged in
their work, or are they estranged from your
company's mission and their role in making it
happen? Mounting evidence suggests that the more
engaged employees are in what they do, the
better their performance and the higher the
rewards for everyone. The key is to have
managers who are skilled at creating employee
engagement. Customer Care Coach? publisher
JoAnna Brandi explains why this is important,
and shares tips for giving employees what they
need so that they're willing to be and do their
best.
Are your employees giving your company 'their
all?' Do they believe that what they're doing is
important? Do they feel appreciated? Do they
show up for work each day with passion and
purpose?
A 'red flag' should go up if you answered "no"
to any of those questions. Why? Managers who
aren't taking care of their employees are
missing out on significant cost-savings and
profits.
I've been spreading the word about this for 15
years, but only recently have I been able to
'rest my case' on a growing body of research.
For example:
"Gallup International reported that businesses
in the top 24% of employee engagement had less
turnover and remarkably higher percentages of
customer loyalty, profitability and revenues."
Extensive studies by HayGroup revealed powerful
links between employee engagement and
productivity, which ultimately impacts the
bottom line."
"Workplace values expert John Izzo has abundant
proof that this 'generation' of employees is
more conscious of their own needs and of their
place in the world."
For business leaders in companies of all sizes,
the writing is on the wall: You can make and
save money by keeping employees engaged. Coupled
with The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which requires that
businesses document internal controls relating
to employee and customer satisfaction, it's
never been more important for business leaders
to stop dismissing internal customer care as
'soft and unimportant.'
Let's face it, employees are not just humans
'doing;' they're human beings. Today's managers
must make it a priority to get to know them so
that they, in turn, can provide whatever's
needed to keep their teams fully engaged in what
they do. This creates wins for everyone. With
that in mind, here are nine management tips for
creating and sustaining employee engagement:
1.) Let
go of any negative opinions you may have about
your employees. Approach each of them as a
source of unique knowledge with something
valuable to contribute to the company. Remember
that you are co-creating the achievement of a
vision with them.
2.) Make
sure employees have everything they need to do
their jobs. Remember when you started a new
school year and you'd prepare by getting all new
school supplies? Why not build just such an
opportunity into your department simply by
asking each staff member, or the team as a
whole, "Do you have everything you need to be as
competent as you can be?" Remember, just as
marketplace and customer needs change at daily,
so do your employees' needs change.
3.)
Clearly communicate what's expected of employees
- what the company values and vision are, and
how the company defines success. Employees can?t
perform well or be productive if they don't
clearly know what it is they're there to do ?
and the part they play in the overall success of
the company. Be sure to communicate your
expectations - and to do it often.
4.) Get
to know your employees - especially their goals,
their stressors, what excites them and how they
each define 'success.' I'm not suggesting you
pry too deeply or start 'counseling' your team
members. What I am suggesting is that you show
an interest in their well being and that, when
appropriate, you do what it takes to enable them
to feel more fulfilled and better balanced.
5.) Make
sure they are trained - and retrained - in
problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
These critical skills will help them interact
better with you, their teammates, customers and
suppliers. It's common sense - better
communications reduce stress and increase
positive outcomes.
6.)
Constantly ask how YOU are doing in your
employees' eyes. I know it can be difficult for
managers to request employee feedback - and it
can be equally if not more challenging for an
employee to give the person who evaluates them
an honest response. To get strong at this skill
and to model it for employees, begin dialogs
with employees using conversation starters such
as, "It's one of my goals to constantly improve
myself as a manager. What would you like to see
me do differently? What could I be doing to make
your job easier?" Be sure to accept feedback
graciously and to express appreciation.
7.) Pay
attention to company stories and rituals. Are
people laughing at each other or with each
other? Do they repeat stories of success of
moments of shame? Stay away from participating
in discussions that are destructive to people or
the organization, and keep success stories
alive.
8.)
Reward & recognize employees in ways that are
meaningful to them (that's why getting to know
your employees is so important). And remember to
celebrate both accomplishments AND efforts to
give employees working on long-term goals a
boost.
9.) Be
consistent for the long haul. If you start an
'engagement initiative' and then drop it your
efforts will backfire, creating employee
estrangement. People are exhausted and
exasperated from 'program du jour' initiatives
that engage their passion and then fizzle out
when the manager gets bored, fired or moved to
another department. There's a connection between
an employee's commitment to an initiative and a
manager's commitment to supporting it. A
manager's ongoing commitment to keeping people
engaged, involved in and excited about the work
they do and the challenges they face must be a
daily priority.
Ultimately, you must keep in mind that employees
are a company's greatest assets. Their
collective ideas, feedback and enthusiasm for
what they do can help your business grow and
succeed. Some people are naturally wired to give
their all and do their best no matter where they
work. But the majority of people require the
guidance of skilled managers who welcome their
ideas, ask for feedback and generate enthusiasm
in order to have a sense of purpose and energy
about what they do.
About the Author:
JoAnna Brandi is Publisher of the Customer Care
Coach? a weekly training program on mastering
"The Art and Science of Exquisite Customer
Care." She is the author of "Winning at Customer
Retention, 101 Ways to Keep 'em Happy, Keep 'em
Loyal and Keep 'em Coming Back" and "Building
Customer Loyalty - 21 Essential Elements in
ACTION" she writes a free email tip on customer
caring. You can sign up at
http://www.customercarecoach.com and
http://www.customerretention.com