Engage Employees in Your Business
It seems the latest management buzzword is engagement. Engage customers. Engage employees. We understand why customer engagement is important. Engaged customers are loyal, they refer friends and family and they are more willing to give us second and third chances when things go wrong.
Engaged customers start with engaged employees. Employee engagement is possible, although not easy to attain. When engagement is an attitude and belief, instead of a program, it works. When engagement focuses on the person, instead of the bottom line, it works. And when it works, it directly impacts the bottom line.
Employee engagement goes beyond implementing an "Employee of the Month" program. It means commitment, it means taking a hard look at current policies and it means providing employees the resources they need to be successful.
Viewing employees as customers is a good place to start. What do employees need to feel valued and respected?
A recent report by Blessing White listed three key satisfaction drivers for employees:
- Career development opportunities and training
- More opportunities to do what they do best
- Being included in the strategic planning process
What are some things you can do to improve the engagement level of your employees? Here are a few suggestions:
- Incorporate employee skills and interests at work, such as asking a budding photographer to take pictures for the employee newsletter.
- Schedule informal lunches with employees to ask for their suggestions on improving the work environment and the service you offer to customers. Make the lunches voluntary.
- Try to find ways to incorporate fun into the workday. You can serve everyone slurpees or hold a fun contest.
Servicedge Training & Consulting works with companies in a variety of capacities:
- In-house training: Providing team members with the skills and knowledge to be successful is a key component to business success. Servicedge offers a variety of workshops and training programs. Prior to any in-house training, a review of individual company needs is conducted and the training customized to address specific organizational objectives.
-
Facilitation services: Group facilitation is a key component to Servicedge's consulting practice. Ideas and strategies developed as a team increase team buy-in, an important element to success, especially when implementing new concepts or practices. Servicedge Training & Consulting specializes in the development of service strategies, from both an internal and external customer perspective.
Laurie Barkman, owner of Servicedge Training & Consulting, started her career waiting on tables and, before starting her own business, was the National Director of Sales & Marketing for a hotel management company based in Winnipeg. Regardless of the role that Laurie was in, she was always committed to helping others learn and grow professionally. She is passionate about providing professional, fun and dynamic learning experiences.
