People Make the Difference

PEOPLE make the difference!
Increasing your profits - the aim of every business!

In an age of ever-improving technology in which the worldwide web is king the need to get the best from your people is probably more important than it has ever been.

Why? I hear you ask:

Well, as running a business and the market place you can reach evens out due to technology and the power of the Internet YOUR PEOPLE and the SERVICE they give your customers truly is the point of difference.

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

Recruitment
Whatever the role you are recruiting for remember in some way it will impact on your customers. Therefore recruit the BEST that you can. Set your standards and stick to these rigidly as once you let them slip the impact will affect your customers and thus your PROFIT. Recruiting the right people is crucial so give it the time and focus it
deserves.

Make your recruitment process:

• Different (Do it at a football stadium!)
• Enjoyable (great welcome, refreshments, fun)
• Memorable (the difference factor, a gift to take away)
This will ensure your new employees feel good and that they are joining a different company where it’s important to make people feel special and unique.

Exactly the way you want your customers to feel. Even the unsuccessful will have had a good experience and the word will get around. Good PR!

Ensure the whole process runs well, professionally and to time. This will really give your new people a feel and will say loud and clearly what your company stands for and is all about.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of getting this right. If you do - and you can -it will pay massive dividends.

A CLEAR COMPANY DEVELOPMENT/ CAREER STRUCTURE:
- THE KEY TO MOTIVATING & REWARDING SUCCESS

It is imperative you have a clear company career structure with how to progress linked to it and a transparent development process in place.

This covers two key areas:

1. It shows the avenues to progress in your company and what you need to do to achieve this.
2. It shows how can you can develop and enhance your skills (there is nothing worse than keeping this a mystery)

The number of times I have seen negative responses in employee surveys on promotions, training and development because the opposite is being done to points 1 & 2…...

It is essential for your people to know and trust in this process - and it really does increase performance and satisfaction of your people.

As with all the elements I will cover it addresses the highly important WIIFM factor (What’s in it for me?)

EMPOWERMENT
Create a culture where your PEOPLE have freedom to express themselves and have the space to make decisions about how they work and the environment they work in.

Examples of this are work times, rotas, holiday picks etc. Also décor, furniture, dress code. It is worth working up some type of code of practice so each person and each team know the parameters they work in and where their boundaries are.

It is also about creating a culture where there is always the opportunity for your people to give constructive feedback and where everyone is equal and approachable. The best way to do this in my view is No Demarcation! Examples of this are: make dress code the same for Managers and Colleagues; no grade perks what-so-ever e.g.
preferential parking; all staff take equal breaks……. the list is endless.

INVOLVEMENT
Set up working groups with representatives from all areas. The sole purpose of the groups should be to improve the areas they cover. Examples could be: Quality, Productivity, and Health & Safety.

Also it’s important that one group covers social activities and FUN! These forums must produce results so they can be seen as worthwhile and that they do make a difference.

Encourage participation and always recognise those involved. Publicise any great ideas and actions and improvements that are forthcoming and link these to performance service and profit.

COMMUNICATION
In every poor performing workplace that I have gone into over the years without exception communication has been either dire or completely missing.

In my experience people are crying out for good communication and need it to perform their roles. Think about it … If you don’t communicate to your PEOPLE how do you think they will act with your CUSTOMERS?

It is imperative that people know what is happening and to achieve this you need a structured communication process.

This is a formal agreement on how information is communicated within your company and should be clear and easy to follow.

It should be developed in consultation with your people to find the model that works best for your workplace.

And to show you mean business monitor the process, encourage robust feedback, and make improvements where needed.

Communication can take many forms but in my view the most important is Face to Face briefings.

These should be:

• Regular (at least monthly)
• Should cover all your people
• Given by the Leader of the workplace (shows how important it is)
• Must happen religiously.
• For those who can't attend (holidays etc) a version should be available on their return.
• For any of your people on long term absence a version should be sent to them. (Keeps them involved and up to date with key events and shows you care)

And briefings should cover the following:

• How you’re doing - with results against the key performance indicators.
• Customer service / News
• Success stories .... Good results, celebrate team / individual performance
• People News.... Training information, long service , promotions
• Rewards....... Bonus information, benefits, opportunities
• Areas to concentrate on......Actions that need to happen.
• Feedback session ....... Questions and answers (chance for all to hear from the horses mouth)

Make these sessions entertaining and something your people look forward to. Be creative and most importantly get feedback on what is good in the sessions and what is not good, then act on this feedback.

Don’t underestimate the power of great communication and how important it is to people. How do you feel if you think you’re being kept in the dark and no one is telling you anything?

Always use the 3 C’s:

COMMUNICATE * COMMUNICATE * COMMUNICATE

COMMUNICATE - Tell everyone everything!
COMMUNICATE - Tell everyone again!
COMMUNICATE - Once everyone knows everything tell them again!

COMMUNICATION - part 2
Communication is another area in which process can be as valuable to your business as end result. Not only WHAT we do but the STYLE in which we do it says a lot about our company and presents a message to our people and our customers.

Let’s make sure that message is one of quality, consistency and professionalism!

• Develop a house style - fonts, colours, logos, layout designs.
• Use what’s effective for your people (ask them) and your work environment.
• Get your people involved in the design process - seek ideas and offer them a choice between styles developed by professional designers.
• Develop style templates for all formats of written communication - stationery, reports, posters, slides and presentations - any and all media you use.

COMMUNICATION - part 3
Be aware of just how many ways there are to communicate effectively - and be imaginative in finding ways to do this.

Newsletters (written or electronic) * Letters * Briefing documents
Emails * Posters * Communication areas for displays
Suggestion box * Leaflets * DVD’s
Supervision * Team events * Team meetings
Feedback session * Training events…….

now add your own!

FUN
How long in time do we spend at work? A LONG TIME! Six times as long as time spent with a partner over any given period (Frightening isn’t it?)

So if we are spending that much time at work let me ask you the question. Why wouldn’t you want to make your workplace fun? Think about how you can make the work experience for your PEOPLE different and FUN!

Some ideas and things that I have seen work:

• Fun days for all your People and their families.
• Competitions. Eating. . Arm wrestling….. Table football etc.
• Teach your People how to juggle.
• Theme days
• Fancy Dress days

As with everything I’ve covered it’s worth finding out what your PEOPLE consider fun and adapt to whatever that is. This is where your FUN forum will come into it’s own.

REWARD
It is important to remember that MONEY is important and it enables all of us to live to a certain standard. With this in mind always aim to pay your PEOPLE in the top quartile for the jobs they’re doing. This along with all the other areas I cover should ensure a stable workforce.

Look to be different -what else can you offer that your competitors can’t? Examples could be free transport, flexible work patterns, use of company car / vehicles available, subsidised canteen.

Take time to work up a reward scheme outside of pay and benefits: to reward suggestions, for helping others, work in the community. This is a big subject but if you get it right it will make a massive difference.

RECOGNITION
How do you feel when your boss say’s thanks for what you’ve done? Or “well done you did a great job”? If you’re the same as me your answer will be “Great”! It makes you feel worthwhile, valued and that you are appreciated. “Thanks” and “well done” go a really long way and in most of the employee surveys I have seen PEOPLE report that they don’t get thanked and their contribution is not recognised.

How many times have you “caught someone doing something wrong”?
Try this next time you’re out and about - “catch one of your people doing something right” ………. Take the time to tell them and watch for their reaction and how they perform in the future. We are all the same: we like being valued and by recognising someone it will enthuse that person.

The Common Sense Factor - CSF!
These ideas, along with everything I’ve written are what I call the CSF (The common sense factor). It is just common sense to treat your PEOPLE the way you would want to be treated!


SUMMARY
I have taken you through proven areas that when consistently followed will enthuse your PEOPLE and transform your business. You will be rewarded with PEOPLE giving their best and results that speak for themselves. This is not pie in the sky for every company that has got this right has immensely improved its results and profits.

It works and you will know it’s working when your key performance indicators improve in every area, your retention of employees is above industry standard, people are asking to work with you, your customers are delighted and keep coming back.

Best of all -PROFITS ARE UP!

Darren Beaven DBH Consultancy