Seventy per cent is the number of employees in the U.S. who really do not like their jobs. This could mean that your disengaged staff are cutting every corner they can, searching for a bigger, better deal on company time, and many could be actively badmouthing your business. The cost to you is certainly real and could cause between $3,000 – $10,000 in decreased productivity and serious issues for your company PR. It could make it very difficult to attract top talent if the word on the street is that your employees are searching for opportunities to leave.
Smart business leaders know that the key to success lies in employees who love their jobs. Your employees are your company’s real competitive advantage and your most valuable asset. They are the ones helping your organization to be successful, but only as long as their needs are being met.
The question becomes this: what are these needs, and how can you meet them?
1. Treat your team as you do your best customers.
Leaders who are able to create sustainable, high-performance cultures within their organizations over the long term see their primary purpose as serving the employees on their teams—not the other way around. Such leaders realize that when people know we support, encourage and acknowledge their contributions—they tend to go the extra mile because they feel appreciated and valued.
2. Transform your team into passionate workers.
Successful organizations Various understand that you not only want satisfied employees; but also a culture of self-starters who are passionate about their organization and their work. That passion translates into a return on the investment that companies make in the well-being of employees and also offer advancement opportunities and training. Employees notice when company leaders show an interest in them and help them to fulfil their potential as well as encourage a good work-life balance. All of this makes employees more loyal, enthusiastic, efficient, creative, and productive. In addition, when they feel appreciated they are more likely to stay in their job and usually develop that inner purpose that creates motivation to be the best they can be. This approach creates a win/win for everyone!
3. Stand up for your employees, even if it means being disruptive.
Again, when employees feel acknowledged and appreciated for their contributions to the team, are offered opportunities to improve the skills they have and learn new ones and also are offered the chance for advancement. It is unlikely that they l be interested in leaving your organization and we all know that turnover is very expensive. You can certainly win the hearts and minds of your employees with a policy of generosity, encouragement, support, and consideration. Forward-thinking companies are finding that customer loyalty and excellent, consistent customer service springs from the appreciation the company shows to their employees.
4. Define your mission statement, core values, and aims and involve your employees collaboratively in that process.
A a global citizen on the world stage, and that translates into a thoughtful, ongoing commitment to the ways that your company can uniquely make a difference. Empowering your employees to be the brand ambassadors of your commitment to the community is a win-win in every way. It has been found that about 93% of employees who volunteer are happy with their employer, and consumers trust employees who work for an organization that supports the community in which they operate. Creating measurable community impact increases your brand value, which in turn increases employee attraction, retention, and engagement. It’s an upward spiral that spikes every possible metric of organizational success, creating an inspiring workplace that resonates in your product and your people.
It’s tough for some leaders to embrace an employee-first mentality, which seems to go against the traditional top-down mentality that generally puts employees at the bottom of the pyramid. However, in this new world of fractured attention spans, hyper-competition, and an influential Millennial voice, companies are well-served to recognize that strong brands start with a passionate workforce, strong, forward-thinking leadership and great customer service.
