It’s no secret that happy employees yield better business results. There’s a lot of research indicating customer satisfaction and loyalty rises when employees enjoy their jobs and workplace. They go hand-in-hand. As leadership expert Simon Sinek says, “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first. I agree, and also know that creating a great company culture does not happen automatically or overnight. It requires intentional design and ongoing focus. As Thanksgiving approaches, take time out to show gratitude at work (not just in your personal life). Walk the talk and keep the momentum going.
10 Authentic Ways To thank employees:
- Send hand-written thank-you notes. Recognize employees for delighting customers.
- Send newsletters to each department. Personalize messages. No “cookie-cutter” approach.
- Invite teams to an Executive meal based on NPS scores and positive customer feedback.
- Publicize awesome work. Brag about individuals & teams on the company website.
- Enable people to recognize each other. Gamify experiences. Tie prizes to customer value.
- Send cake and balloons to top-performing sales offices and those with Y/Y improvements.
- Buy lunch for people resolving customer issues daily i.e. call center reps.
- Create a CEO video message thanking employees for creating customer promoters.
- Offer a bonus or day off to those who routinely demonstrate customer excellence.
- Feed employees and show up. My employer, Schindler Elevator Corporation, demonstrated this perfectly. Company Executives literally served happiness at employee Thanksgiving lunch in the cafeteria. (See my Linkedin for photos)
Culture Starts With You! Appreciate Employees At All Levels
“69% of employees work harder when they feel appreciated. 79% feel motivated when recognized.” (Salesforce). See more statistics in the infographic below. Given the facts, why don’t Executives and Managers thank their employees more frequently? One study reveals that “51% of workers are recognized once a quarter.” I’ve been in organizations where it’s more like once per year. I’m challenging everyone to change that. Culture starts at the top but requires bottom-up actions too.
Doing CX Right Reminders:
- Small acts of kindness go a long way. “People may forget what you said or did, but never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
- Employees are your heroes. If they don’t feel important, your customers will feel it.
- Don’t wait for formal end of year reviews. If you’re not appreciating employees throughout the year, your competitors will. They’re searching for great talent.
- Don’t overthink it. Thank employees everywhere i.e. meetings, cafeteria, parking lot.
- Be empathetic and sincere. Employees know when managers are “checking a box.”
- Get more ideas from my other article: 14 Ways To Celebrate CX Day
How do YOU build a customer-centric culture? Please comment below and join conversations on my Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn pages. Let’s keep the conversations going to humanize experiences and maximize happiness everywhere.
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