“A workforce of owner-minded employees
will often go beyond expectations for the sake of the business’s objectives.” Create a culture of employees as ambassadors
of your business.
Create Employee Buy-In
Owners do not have
enough time to do everything alone, nor should they. Just as owners are responsible for setting
the example of authentic caring for customers and employees, they are also
responsible for creating a culture where employees constantly portray this
caring attitude to each other and to customers.
Radio Flyer, a
Chicago-based children’s toy company initiated a “Connect-the-Dots” program to
encourage employees to work with each other and to connect the individual
employees to the values, mission and goals of the company. A survey proved that 94 percent of employees
reported a willingness to give more than is expected of them and 93 percent say
they can count on each other to cooperate.
This attitude of cooperation then extends out to customer service.
Employee incentive
programs as well as team recognitions increase employee buy-in to the company
mission and goals. Encouraging cross
functional teams adds to the camaraderie and employee buy-in.
Employee Motivation
Not every employee
will be motivated by the same incentive.
Take the time to learn what is important to each employee. Just the fact that you asked them starts the
process moving in a positive direction.
Time off to spend a day with the kids could be a powerful motivator for a
single parent. Imagine the luxury of
going to the park with your child or having the time to decorate holiday
cookies together,
A bonus could be the incentive for the
parent of a college student. Education
is so valuable, but it comes with a high price tag. Money could be a stress release for a
financially strapped parent.
A company recognition plaque could thrill and
motivate a team player who needed or wanted acknowledgement for their extra
efforts. Sales achievements are
frequently recognized, but what about exceptional customer service or a special
acknowledgement for the less visible sections of the company such as accounting
or maintenance.
Award
catalogs where an employee can select a gift in a certain price range for their
birthday or for an extra thank-you for a special job is always a perk.
Making the extra effort to say ‘good morning” or to
stop by the desk to say “how are you doing today?” can put a sparkle in an
employee’s day.
When a project came
in on time and under budget, giving an extra appreciation in some way enhances
the employee’s buy-in and desire to improve performance.
Why is Employee Buy-In Important?
Your company impression can be formed by the first person a
potential customer sees or speaks with as they step into your reception
area. If it is the gum chewing,
disinterested, applying nail polish and chatting on the phone receptionist of
the cartoons, you are in trouble no matter how plush your waiting room décor. Be a real professional all of the time. You never know who knows whom in this
connected world. Everyone is connected
to everyone else by six degrees of separation.
Take every customer and every encounter seriously.
Darren LaCroix, 2001 world champion of public speaking
considers himself “on duty for the client” from the time he arrives at the
airport to depart for his speaking engagement.
His buy-in to provide the best impression for the client company is
solid.
Help Employees Display Their Buy-In
Business cards are
not only a status symbol but also a popular communication reminder. Allowing employees to create their own
individual business cards, within company parameters, with the new Print
Place.com business card design templates would be fun and demonstrate a
higher level of status within the company.
This could be a significant perk to increase employee buy-in.
Providing employees
with company brochures or company bookmarks to distribute would assist them in
being ambassadors to spread the good name of the company.
United Airlines
announced a major advertising campaign stating that they were the “world’s
largest airline and the largest employee-owned company. United took the idea of
owner-minded employees to a new level.
How can you enhance
your employee buy-in to make your employees ambassadors for your company?
