Making Employees Fall in Love with Us
By Ernie Chen

Employees today are extremely sophisticated in their desires working for an organization. As a matter a fact, high performance individuals are inundated with so many different types of rewards and recognition that it becomes difficult to determine what is important and what is not. We have however, identified the following 5 key important factors in creating sustainable motivation in our employees.

1. Deliver As Promised

How many organizations or individuals have told you that they were going to do something, and then didn't do it? And what have you told others you would do for them, but haven't done? Follow-through is abysmal today. Excellent leaders always deliver what they promise. When they commit, it happens. Don't make promises you can't keep.

2. Manage the Employee's Experience

No matter what business you're in, it is critical that you manage your employees' experience. It's those seemingly little touches and comments -- that often have nothing to do with your specific business -- that will make your employees remember working with you as personal and enjoyable.

3. Create Ownership

Be prudent when assigning and then advertising employee ownership. Ownership is not about what you call employees; it is about how employees act. Create a sense of ownership for your employees. Give them tangible incentives to perform. Link some part of their compensation with performance. Maybe even make them literal owners.

4. Involve Everyone in Improvement

Unique Ideas and the ability to implement them drive your business. And a critical key to success is your ability to involve everyone in generating ideas for improvement. Two of your best resources for such idea generation are employees and customers. How often do you ask your employees for suggestions about improving service? And how well do they respond? If you aren't getting lots of employee suggestions, you aren't asking well.

5. Make Teamwork Work

Exceptional service is created from the inside out. Employees who don't feel well served probably won't serve well. Promote the concept of teamwork in your organization. Teamwork works when there's communication, cooperation, and a desire to work together for a common goal.

Most employee complaints evolve from poorly managed expectations. Don't waste your time trying to exceed employee expectations if you don't have a foolproof system for the basics: delivering what you promise, when you promise it.

Last updated - 30 September 2004