Have you ever heard the saying, “you don’t build a business, you build people, and then people build the business?”
With any business or organization, the key to efficiency, productivity, engagement, and great customer service are happy employees. When employee morale is at a high, everything else smoothly follows. Employees can make you or break you. They are the backbone of every company’s success. As the first ambassadors of your brand, you need to convince them first before you can convince everyone else.
“Loyal employees in any company create loyal customers, who, in turn, create happy shareholders.” – Richard Braxton
Corporations know that keeping loyal employees is of the utmost importance. Yet, hiring good (if not, great) managers, that have effective leadership skills, are equally so. Most employees do not leave their jobs, they leave their bosses. Good managers know they have a primary role in keeping employees motivated, engaged, and even, inspired. As a manager who wants to do well by the people who work for him, what steps can you take?
- Establish a true connection.
Employees appreciate it when their managers make time for them. Going on fieldwork, having coffee, or even just going around their cubicles to ask how their day is going are simple examples, which can yield great results. Remembering their birthdays, families’ names, and events going on in their lives, even greater ones. Empathizing with them by placing equal, or higher, importance to their lives outside of the office, and ensuring they have a good work-life balance will help them realize you care for their spirit and well-being.
- Practice open communication.
Your employees sit in the trenches of your business. They are the ones who front your customers and can provide valuable feedback and suggestions. Listening and acting on them will show your employees that you value their input, and they will realize that they are important to your success.
Having open communication in place also means letting them know about changes that affect them. Don’t wait for them to hear about it from human resources, or, worse, from the office grapevine. As their manager, they deserve to hear about anything which involves them from you.
- Be fair.
Have integrity in the way you deal with your employees – equally, and neutrally. Don’t play favorites. Each employee must feel their efforts are equally appreciated and valued. Favoritism can be demotivating, exactly the opposite of what you’re striving for!
- Empower your employees.
“It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people, so they can tell us what to do.” – Steve Jobs
Provide your employees with the tools to get their jobs done, but give them the space to use their own strengths and resources to do so. Enroll them in seminars and workshops. Investing in them in this way shows that you value their professional growth, development, and career.
- Recognize and reward.
Always do your best to show your appreciation for jobs well done. Offer incentives for improvement and positive change. Don’t be afraid to be effusive with your praise. If you can, reward even those who show incremental growth, and not just the top earners. People work harder when they feel their efforts are appreciated.
Great managers never underestimate the value of employee loyalty. They know that having loyal employees can equate with increased productivity, high morale, profitability, and thus, business success. They should never be taken for granted nor treated poorly.
To have loyal employees who work hard, are productive, and are inspired, you must have great managers, too! They are relationship builders, first and foremost. If your employees are the heartbeat of any company, and their loyalty must be nourished and fostered for your business to thrive, then managers are its lifeblood. They are equally necessary and prized.
To have loyal employees who will go the extra mile, great managers are more important than ever.