6 Easy Ways to Make Your Employees Love You
“How can I maintain employee loyalty and retain good talent?” If you’re like other smart managers, you ask yourself this question every day. The era of the lifelong employee who gets a gold watch are long over, and if the recent recession has taught us anything, it’s that knowledge workers want to keep their skills transferable, and their options open.
In order to compete in this economy, firms must retain their best and brightest. Here are some easy ways to keep your employees happy, and make them love working for you and your company:
1) Let Them Complain – If your instinct as a manager is to quash all staff gripes, you’re going to have a bunch of resentful employees who think you don’t care about them. Give employees a means by which their voices can be heard, be it an Intranet message board, suggestion box or even an “open door” policy, and they will feel valued.
2) Educate Them – Your best employees are constantly seeking ways to develop their professional skills. Why not provide these opportunities on a silver platter? Offer regular training courses, bring in expert lecturers, start a mentorship program or just buy new book each month for the staff lounge. Be the source of their professional growth, and you will reap the rewards.
3) Share the Spoils of Victory – When I was just entering the workforce, I suddenly got a raise after like, 3 months – not because of my performance, but because the company had had a terrific quarter, and was rewarding employees at all levels. Show employees you value them by sharing some of the revenue their efforts have produced, and you will win their loyalty.
4) Show Them a Good Time, Often – Work is serious business, but there’s really no need to have your team check their fun at the door – nor should the fun be limited to one annual holiday party. Reward hard-working employees regularly by taking them out to ball games, arranging barbeques, hosting happy hours or yes, even planning the occasional corporate team building activity. Give them enjoyable occasions to looks forward to, and they will be happy.
5) Relax the Dress Code – Especially among young generation X & Y staff who are less likely to feel committed to your organization, be accommodating with your rigid dress code. It’s one thing if your field is professional and clients expect business attire, but for non-client-facing staff I really don’t buy the “employees take work more seriously if they dress seriously” argument. If the average cubicle dweller feels more comfortable wearing jeans than a suit, why not let them? They’ll be happier, produce better work – and think you’re really cool.
6) Bombard Them with Food & Drink – Nothing says “we care about our employees” more than keeping them well-fed. In the grand scheme of things, is it really that expensive to take the team out to lunch regularly, cater an occasional staff party or even just offer free soda & coffee in the break room? Try it- and feel the love!
What other simple ways can you think of to make employees love working for your firm? Please share any ideas below!