Developing Dedicated and Committed Employees
Do you want committed, dedicated employees?
I was watching a morning news program and they had a representative from a local business talking about their programs they were running on the weekend… Usually these small businesses have the business owner on the show talking about why everyone should come down and see this event … but this was different.. today, it was an employee, not the owner, talking about the programs. What caught my attention was that the employee seemed so excited and committed to the business and cause.
I thought to myself, why aren’t more employees like this? Is it because most don’t feel that much passion for what they are doing? Or they don’t feel and relate to the mission of the business? Or is it that they don’t feel truly committed to the business, enough to eat, sleep and dream the business?
For most employees, work is just a job… a place to hang out for 8 hours and get a paycheck.
What if the business and management really made the employees feel appreciated? What if the business was truly committed to the employee?
Many businesses say they are committed, but are they really? They think so, but what do employees think?
Remember, “perception IS reality… what they believe and feel might as well be fact.
I know of a particular company that had very low morale. The owner would say that he and the company were more fair and generous than most companies, “we give them extra time off, we have great benefits, we do this and that, we pay for this and that, etc…” on and on… he couldn’t understand why employees were unhappy and why morale was low. He couldn’t understand why when there was an employee feedback annual survey, it was the lowest ever.
What he didn’t understand was that being generous only went so far… employees want to be treated with respect.
When employees feel that you treat customers with more respect and dedication than you treat them, there is a disconnect.
Can it work and can you drive productivity and growth when you are a jerk to your people, push them harder and harder every day, threaten them? Of course it can… because most people avoid having to look for new jobs. Many are used to being treated this way as a child. Many employees believe that this is just the way it is everywhere. And most employees will just bend over and say “thank you sir, may I have another” (as said in Animal House)
But what happens to morale? What happens to productivity? What happens when the economy changes?
What kind of productivity could you have if you treated employees with the same level of commitment and caring that you treat customers? You would have more committed employees who would sing your praises every day and and every way… you’d have evangelists. They would be the ones going on the morning news programs and talk shows saying how great your company is and they would eat, sleep and dream your business.
When I had my executive recruiting business, these were the employees i could never recruit. They told me they loved their job, their company, their boss… and they were more productive and typically rose to the top as top performers.
So look at yourself in the mirror.. how are you treating your people?
Do you treat them like commodities who can be replaced?
Do you think that you are giving them so much they should be lucky to have a job?
Do you think they owe you because you pay them?
Or do you value them as people?
Do you really treat them with respect?
What if you could not threaten them with their job and if you couldn’t use fear and intimidation to manage?
What if they were volunteers? how would you keep them motivated, excited and “on board”?
Commit to your people more, treat them like you would your favorite uncle/aunt, be appreciative that they have chosen to give their skills, knowledge and effort to help you grow your business and you will see a dramatic change in their commitment to the job, to you and an increase in productivity.