Rock LaManna09.06.16
Don’t be like the husband who stops bringing his wife roses. When employees have been with a company for a long time, owners can get very complacent. They may not take their employees for granted, but they stop showing them how much they care.
I talk with recruiters all the time, and they know that their client’s best recruit is your employee. They want to find someone who is employed, productive, proving their worth, and taking care of existing customers. If your employees don’t feel appreciated, you may find that your competitor has scooped up your best people.
I have heard time and again that it’s not the quantity of appreciation, it’s the quality. That would lead me to believe that a dinner of filet mignon would be more valuable than a Starbuck’s card as a sign of appreciation. But it’s not the quality of the gift, it’s the quality of the intent on the part of the giver.
“I would rather have the owner stop by my desk and ask me how things are going, maybe find out what kind of improvements we’d like to have in our department. That’s more useful than just getting a coupon for a car wash tucked in with my paycheck,” said a receptionist at one label company.
When I tour printing companies, I ask employees what they like best about their jobs. Number one, no question, is the answer that they need to know they make a difference to the success of the company.
Here are a few anecdotes people have told me:
You can see how some gestures fall flat and others, while appreciated, aren’t in line with how the owner normally acts.
One pressman summed it up like this: “I like regular interaction. I like to know that the owner realizes that I work hard. I don’t need to be constantly complimented, but I do like it when the higher ups mention a specific example of a job I’ve done well.”
As you interact with employees, are you giving personal attention and appreciation? Do you think your people know you care if they stay or go? Do they know that their hard work makes a difference? Are you able to effectively communicate that without seeming insincere or self serving? If this behavior is hard for you, can you enlist the help of an assistant, colleague or advisor to help you make it a regular habit?
Make a plan to reach out to your employees. These gestures may mean the difference between an employee jumping ship or staying onboard for the long haul.
Rock LaManna helps printing owners and CEOs use their company financials to prioritize and choose the proper strategic path. He is President and CEO of the LaManna Alliance, and provides guidance on how to grow a printing business, merge with a synergistic partner, make a strategic acquisition, or create a succession plan. Rock can be reached by email at Rock@RockLaManna.com.
I talk with recruiters all the time, and they know that their client’s best recruit is your employee. They want to find someone who is employed, productive, proving their worth, and taking care of existing customers. If your employees don’t feel appreciated, you may find that your competitor has scooped up your best people.
I have heard time and again that it’s not the quantity of appreciation, it’s the quality. That would lead me to believe that a dinner of filet mignon would be more valuable than a Starbuck’s card as a sign of appreciation. But it’s not the quality of the gift, it’s the quality of the intent on the part of the giver.
“I would rather have the owner stop by my desk and ask me how things are going, maybe find out what kind of improvements we’d like to have in our department. That’s more useful than just getting a coupon for a car wash tucked in with my paycheck,” said a receptionist at one label company.
When I tour printing companies, I ask employees what they like best about their jobs. Number one, no question, is the answer that they need to know they make a difference to the success of the company.
Here are a few anecdotes people have told me:
- A sales person mentioned a letter the owner wrote. It detailed her specific contributions to the company and how her efforts had improved the bottom line. “I still have that letter,” she said.
- A production manager revealed that the owner takes him to a country club for lunch every month. “It’s delicious and all. Very pretty there. It’s a little awkward. We don’t really know what to say to each other,” he said.
- A customer service manager talked about a day off the owner gave her when her daughter graduated from high school. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know much about my personal life, so I was surprised,” she said.
You can see how some gestures fall flat and others, while appreciated, aren’t in line with how the owner normally acts.
One pressman summed it up like this: “I like regular interaction. I like to know that the owner realizes that I work hard. I don’t need to be constantly complimented, but I do like it when the higher ups mention a specific example of a job I’ve done well.”
As you interact with employees, are you giving personal attention and appreciation? Do you think your people know you care if they stay or go? Do they know that their hard work makes a difference? Are you able to effectively communicate that without seeming insincere or self serving? If this behavior is hard for you, can you enlist the help of an assistant, colleague or advisor to help you make it a regular habit?
Make a plan to reach out to your employees. These gestures may mean the difference between an employee jumping ship or staying onboard for the long haul.
Rock LaManna helps printing owners and CEOs use their company financials to prioritize and choose the proper strategic path. He is President and CEO of the LaManna Alliance, and provides guidance on how to grow a printing business, merge with a synergistic partner, make a strategic acquisition, or create a succession plan. Rock can be reached by email at Rock@RockLaManna.com.