You might be thinking that this is something that a millennial might say, however, quite frankly we all think the same thing as employees. It doesn’t matter what generation you are from.
How great would your workplace be if all your staff had positive attitudes, confidence, determination, and loyalty? What would it be like if they worked with meaningful purpose and provided mutual support for each other in the work place? Sounds like utopia? This is not an impossible achievement.
It starts with the leaders in your organization. And when we say leaders, we’re not just talking about those around the boardroom tables. We’re talking about everyone who’s in a position of leadership; District Managers, Store Managers, Assistant Managers … even those sales associates who step up and take on an informal leadership role.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you in tune with the emotional needs of your staff? Do they feel they are making a positive impact on the organization?
- Are you listening, solving grievances and solving environmental challenges together?
- Is your staff at every level connected to a bigger purpose?
- Are you treating your employees like partners and not just employees? Do they feel respected?
- Is everyone connected and learning new skills from a diverse group of people?
- Are you staying focused on the things you have control over so that you can feel a sense of progress?
When a company starts to behave more like a ‘community’ and not a ‘company’ … that’s when the magic happens and is maintained! It’s very easy for staff to become disconnected and negative when sales are down, staff issues arise and merchandise availability doesn’t seem right.
However, if you lead with the real clarity on the questions above, your people will not be enticed as easily by another dangling carrot somewhere else. They will maintain a positive level of morale and passion during adversity. They’ll perform at levels higher than you can imagine. That’s true engagement and high morale.
It’s your job to make your staff want to come to work. So, ask yourself, “Would you want to work for you?”
Blog Authors: Kevin
Kevin Graff is the main guy behind all things Graff Retail. A renowned retail expert, Kevin is recognized in the retail industry as a speaker, author and expert trainer. Kevin's main passion is to help retailers drive staff performance.