We’ve got a few suggestions to help you get started…
Ask Yourself…
We’ve all had jobs that didn’t bring out the best in our capabilities, passion, or performance. Whether that was because we weren’t properly trained, empowered, or otherwise supported, working in a job that you aren’t enthusiastic about does nothing for you, your customers, or company.
According to Zig Ziglar, “Research indicates that employees have three prime needs: Interesting work, recognition for doing a good job, and being let in on things that are going on in the company.:
When it comes to meeting these needs for your employees and creating the environment they need to succeed, ask yourself if you would be happy working in their positions. If not, consider some of the following things you might do to change that.
Recognizing How Happy Employees Make Happy Customers is key to creating the right working environment in support of both. Pro tip: You can’t afford not to. Citing a Gallup poll, Forbes reports that: “Employees who are engaged are more likely to improve customer relationships, with a resulting 20% increase in sales.”
While there are plenty of strategies to support employee engagement, we’re moving beyond the gimmicky perks of Ping-Pong tables and craft beer in the fridge to focus on training and development. Sure, we believe in a fun working environment; however, we know that the real and lasting difference comes from effective training and development.
Develop Your Talent
What this really means is, show your employees their potential in your company.
As our Chief Relationship Officer, Lynn Saladini advises, “Be clear about the potential paths each employee might follow, depending on their own ambitions. Employees who already feel like they’ve reached a dead end or believe their professional trajectory will be a short journey to a predictable destination will not invigorate your brand.”
Rather than simply make a hire and leave them to get the job done, make the hire and show that person the options outlining their future trajectory within your company. Have conversations structured by questions like:
- What are the positions available to them as they conquer their current role?
- Do they want to move up in the company and embrace more responsibility in exchange for increased compensation?
- Can they isolate their dream job within your firm? What is it, and how can you both start to sketch out a roadmap to reach that destination?
We suggest avoiding the tired and rather ridiculous question, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” and instead keep the focus on your firm, setting more immediate benchmarks based on their talents and expertise.
Take Training Seriously, Support it Consistently
All too often, managers approach the employee training process as a one-shot strategy. Hire, train, rinse, repeat. Ideally, effective employee training is built into your company culture and is offered on a consistent basis.
If we’re paying attention, we should all be learning something new about our profession and role within it as industries continue to evolve. Why, then, would we ever assume that a single training following onboarding would prove sufficient to keep your employees engaged and on the cutting edge of industry knowledge?
Our current moment in time has also highlighted how important training is as the COVID-19 global pandemic has reimagined the workplace, sending people into home offices and replacing in-person meetings with Zoom screens. While none of us could have predicted this, smart managers understand the importance of adapting and providing the necessary assistance for their employees to do the same.
Empower your employees with the education they need to create a workforce that feels supported.
How can we help you empower happier employees and build a better brand? Contact us today!