Coach’s Corner: Put Your People First
By Jason Adler | JasonAdler@johnmaxwellgroup.com
It was a different world when businesses could succeed solely with the attitude of “the customer is always right.”
The complexity of the modern world brings a range of choices and options for people. It is harder and harder to foster loyalty in people.
Plus, the younger generation always seems to be less engaged and more distracted. They want enjoyment over substance.
Change is expected, not feared. Bells and whistles are standard, not extras. The question businesses are consistently asking is “How do I get an edge over my competition?”
It may seem that we are speaking of customers. In actuality, I am addressing the concerns of hiring, training and retaining excellent employees.
In the business world today, competition for the best people is fierce. The pendulum is swinging to where it’s not only the best-run companies that understand the true value of their employees. The word is out that the best way to increase customer satisfaction and to drive increasing profits is to take care of your people first.
Why is that?
The cycle of business starts when the leaders take care of their employees. Then the employees take care of their customers. The customers support the business. And the business supports the leaders.
You will notice where the cycle begins: with the leader’s mindset about the value of the employees (a people-first mindset).
A mindset in which leaders care more about their employees than they do about their customers is critical. Research has proved that the manner in which employees are treated will be copied in the way they treat their customers.
So what should an organization do to develop this mindset?
According to Quantum Workplace, top-performing organizations know that employee engagement is what drives business results. Engaged employees are more productive, more profitable, more customer-focused and more likely to stay.
What drives engagement? According to Quantum, these are the top drivers:
- The leaders of the organization are committed to making it a great place to work.
- Employees trust the leaders of the organization to set the right course.
- They believe the organization will be successful in the future.
- The leaders of the organization value people as their most important resource.
- Employees see professional growth and career development opportunities for themselves in their organization.
We know what drives employee engagement and why it is so important. Now we can explore the three critical steps to creating a workplace where employees are your biggest and best asset. These steps are: Hire correctly; onboard completely; and train continuously.
Stay tuned for the next installment on hiring correctly.
Jason Adler is a John Maxwell-certified executive coach (www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/jasonadler) helping people and their organizations hire and keep quality employees.
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