Category: Engagement

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Engagement Marketing

To Strengthen Employee Relationships, Follow Me

Want a great way to foster mutual respect among the employees in your organization? Try this on for size.

Akron, OH-based ad agency Hitchcock Fleming & Associates (HFA) launched an “In Your Shoes Day” where employees in different departments shadowed each other to better appreciate the various jobs in the organization. After all, they depend on each in order to best serve their clients.

Julie Biddle, an Account Coordinator at HFA, told me it was an extraordinary experience. In her own words:

“For my shadow day I was in the shoes of someone in our production department.  It was eye opening to spend a day with him and to see what his job in the agency is like.  I even got to participate by doing his job for a couple hours.

Staring at the computer all day and working at making sure you notice every little detail was challenging, and I could finally see why some of the production people I work with are exhausted by the end of the day.  The next day, when I went back to being in my own shoes, I not only realized that I am definitely in the right area of work but I also gained a higher respect for the people who work in the production department.

This was definitely a worth while training experience and I praise my company for making all of us participate! “

[Thanks for sharing, Julie.]

You can find other company examples of ‘trading places’ in a previous post. It seems there’s no better way to create empathy, understanding and mutual respect among employees.

See how it fits in your organization.

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Engagement

Workplace Jerks

My last post shared an e-mail from a friend about a bad boss. Another associate told me about her experience with a previous employer – one manager there was so bad the staff created its own nickname for this person: TW (short for “train wreck”).

Unfortunately, workplace jerks abound. And they can be found in management as well as in the rank-and-file. A recent article in the McKinsey Quarterly on “Building the Civilized Workplace” describes the fallout from these jerks:

“Companies that put up with the jerks not only can have more difficult recruiting and retaining the best and brightest talent but are also prone to higher client churn, damaged reputations, and diminished investor confidence.”

The author of this article, Robert Sutton, has a new book out on this subject, The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t.

Sounds like great reading for my friends.

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Engagement Marketing

“Work continues to be quite strange”

That’s the opening line of an e-mail I received from a friend.

The message continued:

“On Friday our department went out to celebrate two colleagues’ birthdays. Management thinks that treating people poorly is completely canceled out by occasional lunches — which we each have to pay for. A half-hour before we left for the restaurant, the department head held a staff meeting. We all gathered in the conference room and she began to cry as she told us she had just figured out that she is a terrible manager and that we all hate her! This announcement was met with silent stares until the weakest among us felt compelled to say something comforting. And then we all went to lunch.”

Sometimes poor working conditions are caused by personality problems of bosses, as well as co-workers, despite a decent organizational culture.

As my friend commented about being in this Dilbert-like situation: “Retirement cannot come a moment too soon.”

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Engagement Marketing

“The Power of Acknowledgment” – Myth-ing in Action

In my internal marketing workshops, I sometimes joke about positive reinforcement in the workplace being a lack of negative reinforcement. In other words, if you didn’t get your hand slapped at work today for doing something wrong, you might have done a good job. But how would you know when management holds back with its compliments and “atta boys?”

In her book, The Power of Acknowledgment, Judith Umlas explains why some managers are likely to withhold praise, and she effectively counters these ‘myths’ of acknowledgment.

Myth: If you praise people too often, it won’t mean as much

The law of diminishing returns does not apply to praise that is genuine and heartfelt. According to Umlas, “Imagine that your spouse or partner tells you every day with absolute sincerity how wonderful and incredible you are. Does that make you appreciate this deeply felt acknowledgment any less?”

Myth: If you tell people how good they are, they might not work as hard

Acknowledging people’s efforts will not take away their motivation to be better. “Acknowledgment and striving go together. When people feel validated through acknowledgment … they will go to great lengths … to get the job done the best they possibly can.”

Myth: A compliment given infrequently will be more valued

An acknowledgment means a great deal, especially when it comes from a manager who rarely gives praise. Umlas considers this from the employee’s perspective: “But what about all the time I spent worrying about … whether I’m doing a good enough job? … My concerns would be alleviated … and my performance might actually be improved if [managers] let me know on a more regular basis what they see as my worth and contribution to the organization.”

I’ve highlighted just the workplace-related excerpts from The Power of Acknowledgment. Umlas’ book provides a quick and easy read to help people harness this power in all their relationships.

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Engagement Marketing

“Firms of Endearment” Already a Best-Seller

As I predicted, the new book Firms of Endearment is becoming a best-seller. [2014 Note: This book is in its second edition.]

I heard recently from one of its authors, David Wolfe, that the book is entering its second printing – just a few months after its initial release.

I cite some of the book’s findings in my forthcoming book on internal marketing, Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care. But don’t wait for my book to read about the power of “Firms of Endearment.” Get it while it’s hot … it’s a great book to read and will be a great addition to your business library.

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Engagement Marketing

My Publisher Won’t Let Me Get a Lobotomy & Other Lessons in Finishing a Book When Life Gets in the Way

Knowing I was under a great deal of stress, Yvonne DiVita, my publisher at WME Books, asked me if I needed anything. I jokingly responded: “How about a lobotomy?” (She said no way.)

We’ve been working closely together these past few months getting ready to release my book on internal marketing, Taking Care of the People Who Matter Most: A Guide to Employee-Customer Care. We’re in the editing phase, and it’s taken a bit longer than anticipated due to some scheduling conflicts. More recently, however, my availability has been limited due to serious family health concerns.

“It’s a hard knock life”

I’ve needed time in the past few months to be with my 82 year-old mother who was diagnosed with cancer. There have been various doctor appointments, major surgery, and soon she’ll start radiation treatments. My mother lives out-of-town (fortunately, I’m less than 90 minutes away) and when I can’t be with her, we rely on the support of “extended family” (i.e., wonderful friends and neighbors) in addition to our devoted relatives.

It’s been quite a juggling act, especially since I also want to spend as much time as possible with my brother, who is also battling cancer.

“Lean on me”

Throughout this ordeal, I’ve come to appreciate the tremendous support & encouragement offered by my friends, colleagues and clients. Since this is my first time working with a publisher, I’ve also learned that my publisher’s role goes beyond book development, production and promotion to include being coach, cheerleader and surrogate counselor. I don’t know if this holds true for all publishers; I feel extremely fortunate that empathy and extra hand-holding are part of Yvonne’s job description.

I’ve also learned to not worry about the “right” time for my book to be released – I was concerned that if the book wasn’t ready by early spring, we should avoid summer (peak season for more beach-reading than business-reading) and wait until fall to get it out. But being reminded how precious and short life is, it doesn’t make sense to hold it up. So I’m moving ahead with my book – allowing for family time as needed – and it will be released as soon as it’s ready.

Watch for the announcement of my book here. Your patience is appreciated.

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Engagement Marketing

The Power of Employee Gatherings

As mentioned in my last post, Chiumento’s research found positive work relationships and effective internal communication are critical to employee satisfaction & happiness at work.

Chiumento cites the following tips to encourage good working relationships:

  • Foster inter-departmental communication and working, giving employees opportunities to share ideas & experiences
  • Encourage face-to-face communication where appropriate, so that colleagues have more worthwhile discussions than e-mail alone allows
  • Ensure no staff member is working in isolation but feels supported and involved in business.

I find these tips (taken from a longer list) most relevant because I’ve seen firsthand their powerful impact. Two of my clients recently hosted special gatherings to bring together their sales reps: one was a statewide meeting, the other a national meeting. (One group was primarily female, the other group male; ages varied in both groups.)

Here’s a representative sample of their comments from the session evaluations:

  • Excellent opportunity to exchange ideas. We’re all in the same boat with common goals.
  • Beneficial in hearing and learning how team members approach new business & make contacts, etc.
  • This is helpful to prioritize my thoughts. It is always helpful to hear it again from different people.
  • It really charged us up & got the idea stream flowing.

Yes, these types of events are labor-intensive and incur travel costs, especially compared with lower-cost alternatives of webinars and teleconferences. But a well planned face-to-face employee gathering is a worthwhile investment in stimulating and sharing ideas, problem-solving approaches and renewed focus through stronger internal networks.

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Engagement Marketing

Happiness at Work

I’ve written before about research supporting the importance of employee satisfaction and happiness. I just came across more recent research conducted in the United Kingdom by Chiumento on Happiness at Work. (You can e-mail Chiumento for a copy of the report.)

Here are the top ten factors (ranked in order) that impact employee happiness. Note: while these findings are similar to previous research here in the U.S., they may not be applicable in other countries.

What Makes Us Happy at Work

  • Friendly, supportive colleagues
  • Enjoyable work
  • Good boss or line manager
  • Good work-life balance
  • Varied work
  • Belief that we’re doing something worthwhile
  • Feeling that what we do makes a difference
  • Being part of a successful team
  • Recognition for our achievements
  • Competitive salary.

What Makes Us Unhappy at Work

  • Lack of communication from the top
  • Uncompetitive salary
  • No recognition for achievements
  • Poor boss/line manager
  • Little personal development
  • Ideas being ignored
  • Lack of opportunity for good performers
  • Lack of benefits
  • Work not enjoyable
  • Not feeling that what I do makes a difference.

These factors also relate to employee engagement – measured in the research by how much employees care about their organization’s success and how much they feel they personally contribute to this success. According to Chiumento, “If you treat your staff fairly and ensure good lines of communication you will help them feel happier which in turn encourages them to give more discretionary effort.”

More on this in my next post …

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Engagement Marketing

Capitalize on This!

I found this ten year old quote recently while doing some research:

“ … human capital, above and beyond all other variables, will be the core building block for the organization of the future. Organizations of today would be wise to critically evaluate their current systems and practices for attracting, developing, and retaining human capital.”

It’s from “Human Capital in the Digital Economy,” written by Anthony F. Smith and Tim Kelly for The Organization of the Future, published by the Drucker Foundation in 1997.

I’m sure it’s not the first time a statement like this has been written, and it probably won’t be the last. Nevertheless, after all the changes we’ve seen in the past ten years, the message is as relevant as ever.

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Engagement Marketing

Talk About Employee Satisfaction

You’ve heard the cliche,”talk is cheap,” but it’s invaluable when it comes to employee communication and satisfaction.

Check out Melcrum’s recent Hub newsletter about a survey by British HR firm Chiumento that found employee satisfaction is more influenced by good internal communications & work relationships than compensation.