Think to yourself, "What is the most important thing to my employees," and your first thought might be their hourly wage or salary. Wrong. Today, more than ever, while money never loses its importance, it is not the thing that motivates employees the most. You can't motivate people any longer with the offer of a simple exchange -- their commitment and loyalty in return for a job.
Here are some things to keep in mind when evaluating your business for employee friendliness.
Provide meaning and purpose in work.
People want to participate and feel they are using their ability to make a contribution. Employees need to have a reason for their employer's existence that extends beyond the success of the company. You must have a product, a mission, or simply a vision of the industry that employees find exciting and energizing.
This may sound like a lofty goal in the foodservice industry, but there are those operations that are taking the environment, organic and sustainable growing, supporting local charities, etc., to heart. Making money for the company is not a strong enough motivation for people to do their best work.
Be work/life friendly.
People work harder to achieve organizational objectives if they can satisfy their own personal objectives at the same time. Given that an estimated 87 percent of the American workforce has some kind of family responsibility and 78 percent say that finding work/life balance is a major priority, it's no wonder that a key to motivating employees is being flexible with people's home lives. Also, find out what it is each worker wants out of their job and try to help them attain it. If they want to learn more about food cost, teach them. If they want to be a manager someday, spend your time training them whenever possible.
If you can help your employees to live a more balanced life by offering scheduling flexibility it can pay back dividends by increasing employee loyalty and decreasing turn-over.
Place more value on your employees.
Work to instill a sense of responsibility among managers. Make it clear that it is a manager's job to look out for the people they manage. Find ways to reward managers for valuing their employees. Consider offering a bonus for managers that have a lower rate of attrition on their team. Or consider employee bonuses for all workers who reach specific lengths of employment.
The customer is not always right. Show your employees that they are important, too, by supporting them when a customer is not treating them right. Customers are important, but your employees are also critical to the success of your business. Both must be cared for. Try to find solutions to problems that satisfy everyone. Even if you aren't successful at satisfying everyone, making the effort shows that you value an employee.
Give employees more control.
Whenever possible, let your employees control the environment that they work in. Show them the standard of performance, then let them make the decisions about how to get there. Often times, their way will be more efficient than the way you think it should be done. For instance, if you've got waste problems, ask them what they see and incorporate it into your solution. The more they buy in to the solution, the more successful they will be. Give them the opportunity to show ownership for their position. If you can create these conditions, you will find your employees will reward you with their loyalty, support, and productivity.
Solicit feedback.
Just as you need to give your employees feedback on how they are doing, make sure they have a risk-free way to let you know how you are doing. If you don't ask you may not find out that an employee is unhappy until they are on their way out the door. And don't just ask what employees think. Do something about it. Show that you are willing to make changes to improve your operation.
Share the rewards.
People want recognition for their contributions. In a recent survey, employers said they thought that money was the most important thing for employees. Employees, however, stated that recognition for the job that they do was the most important thing to them. Be open and honest with your employees. Thank them for doing their job daily. Remind them that they are an important part of your business. And when you can, share the rewards -- either through raises, company picnics, profit bonuses, etc.
Beat the competition.
Though money isn't the only thing, it is important. Are you aware of what your competition is paying and what benefits they have? Make an effort to keep your compensation competitive before turnover becomes a problem.
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