“There are only three measurements that tell you nearly everything you need to know about your organization’s overall performance: employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and cash flow…It goes without saying that no company, small or large, can win over the long run without energized employees who believe in the mission and understand how to achieve it.” —Jack Welch, former CEO of GE
Very recently, a friend of mine was forced to leave his job—note that I said forced, it was neither voluntary nor mutual. He dedicated six years to the establishment, built up a seriously loyal clientele, and had a consistently full book. After six years, he sat down with his boss and expressed his desire for a raise, explaining that he had not only worked towards it but had earned it. His request was turned down with an unreasonable explanation. Without going into further detail, as I’m sure you can all imagine the type of interaction that transpired to result in a forced-quit, I will lead with this: for a successful organization, you must strive to value your employees as much as you value your clients and your business.
It really is all about relationships. The dynamic between the CEO and the management team influences frontline staff, which ultimately impacts the client. Depending on the quality of these relationships, this impact can be either positive or negative, resulting in either growth or downsizing in the areas of revenue, profit, employees, client numbers, and client retention. —Joe Mechlinski, Grow Regardless
With food for thought above, a few things to consider are below:
Misery Loves Company: If your employees are unhappy, it’s going to be evident in the work place, off-site, and client facing. Most people aren’t very good at concealing their emotions, especially if they feel like they’re being treated unfairly, poorly, or being ignored completely. And, when sh** hits the fan, who better to complain to then co-workers and clients?! In my experience, when employees are mistreated, word gets around. This can result in loss of current clients/employees, not to mention discourage potential clients/employees. The bottom line being that employees talk, clients talk, so why not give them something GREAT to talk about! “If everyone in and around your organization has a great experience, they’re going to tell people” (JM). It’s important to establish a mission and values to live by so that every day, every member of your team knows why they’re there and everyone is collaboratively working towards the same goal. If you harvest and maintain a better than good work environment, it won’t go unrecognized!
Do Unto Others…: We’ve all heard the expression, you have to give respect to get respect or perhaps you prefer the golden rule—do unto others…—either way, we all know that being treated in a manner that makes us feel worthless is not only discouraging but gradually becomes intolerable. As an employer, how would you like to be treated if you were on the other side of the desk (so to speak)? Employees need to feel comfortable speaking candidly with their employers, without worrying that the repercussions could result in tension or termination. The same goes for interoffice interaction, it’s important to establish and maintain high morale. No one likes feeling like they’re walking on eggshells; thus, establishing rapport with your employees is just as important as with your clients. This is especially true since your employees are often an extension of you, given that they’re typically the first to face clients, from the initial greeting upon arrival to the handshake prior to their exit. Simply put, treat your employees the way you expect to be treated (or better).
A Little Goes a Long Way: Don’t be stingy with appreciation, it takes little to no time—a handwritten thank you note, a pat on the back for a job well-done, recognition during a team meeting, or even a quick email. A little praise goes a long way, never underestimate the effect of sincere gratitude. Not only is it personally appreciated, but it lifts morale and sends the message that you not only notice hard work but that you CARE. Everyone likes to hear their name before or after a “thank you.”
“We are affected and influenced by the manner in which we are led” (JM): Again with a tried and true expression—monkey see, monkey do. We all tend to follow/lead by example so we can’t help but be products of our environment. We’ve all had bosses ranging from awful to pretty good to incredible; and, we’ve taken away something from each experience. Maybe what has stuck with you through the years are the emotions you felt—good or bad, insight you gained, fuel to be better, or drive to be great. Whatever the baggage, sort out the good from the bad, and put your best foot forward.
Ultimately, whether or not my friend should have gotten a raise is peripheral, it’s how he was treated that is under scrutiny. No employee, no person, deserves to be treated as if their time and dedication doesn’t matter, as if it’s not valued or appreciated. As Joe Mechlinski puts it in his book, Grow Regardless, “Happy employees translate into happy customers.”
All quotes within this blog are from the book, Grow Regardless, a NY Times Best Seller written by Joe Mechlinski of entreQuest. For quick tips, check out this article from Inc. on ways to genuinely connect with your employees.
Tara Fox is a Project Support Specialist at entreQuest and works closely with all eQ team members to provide employees and clients with remarkable experiences.
