IF YOUR ORGANIZATION IS FILLED WITHCHEERFUL, LOYAL EMPLOYEES PLEASE DISREGARD THIS LETTER

Checking out at a large retail store, I asked the cashier..."So how are you doing today?" She answered..."I'll be fine, as soon as I get out of work. ” It was only 11:30 am...early in the workday, and she was revealing her true feelings toward her employment with that statement. She obviously did NOT like her job. How could she possibly be interested in giving a high level of customer service satisfaction with such a negative attitude? How could she possibly pay attention to details or be interested in the growth or profitability of the company? My thought as I left the store was, "I sure wouldn't want that person working for me."

This attitude is unfortunately all too prevalent in the business world today. So who or what is to blame? The employee? Management? Both? As a former secretary, waitress, retail salesperson, executive recruiter, and business owner, I am a believer in the old adage, “Mud rolls downhill.” While employees are undeniably in charge of their own attitude, I believe management sets the tone of the working environment, which affects the staff and, ultimately the company’s bottom line.

“Plant a turnip, get a turnip,” the saying goes…If your organization is harvesting unhappy, discontented, apathetic, or ineffective employees instead of self-actualized, self-motivated, content individuals committed to your company's success, perhaps you need to plant some new seeds. From the office of the CEO to the Mailroom, under our individual titles, we are all fellow human beings with the same basic human needs.

In a recent nationwide employee survey, the following were the Top 7 incentives a worker wants for a job well done:
7. Fair pay/compensation/bonus potential
6. Working in a positive environment with great people
5. Exciting and meaningful work that makes a difference
4. Flexible working hours, arrangements and dress code
3. Decision-making authority and autonomy
2. Learning and career development opportunities
1. Full appreciation for work well done, expressed personally AND publicly

As you can see, more important than the paycheck is a human being's basic needs of appreciation, personal growth, positive environment, freedom to make decisions, flexibility to balance their personal life, and knowing they somehow make a difference in the world. Everybody needs to feel important. Are you currently providing this basic need for your people? Would you like to learn how? Are you willing to make some changes?