What would happen if you poured your heart and soul into an employee’s development, and he/she left?
That would be devastating.
The company might feel cheated, betrayed, and hurt. More likely than not, it probably cost the company money to invest all that they did into that employee.
These four sentences, although concise and simple in nature, are the fundamental reasons behind why companies do not invest more in their employees.
Richard Branson, one of the world’s wealthiest and wildly successful businessman and owner of the world-renowned Virgin Group, said:
“Train people well enough so they can leave,
treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”
That is the key to this entire article. The one factor that companies do not have control over is time. And, in this situation, time is absolutely essential to success. It is absolutely possible to make your company smarter, earn your employee’s loyalty, and increase profit, but a company needs to harness patience to see these ideas through. If companies turned this quote a reality, they would see phenomenal growth in all areas of business. Here are a few ways to make your employees feel valued enough that they want to stay with your company.
1) Enact ongoing training.
Once a month, invite in a speaker into the office for a half hour during the business day to train employees on a new skill or new trend in your industry. Paying employees during this time shows them that you are not only serious about earning profit for your company, but you are also committed to serving them in their personal and professional growth. This makes employees want to stay with your company.
2) Provide reimbursement for furthering one’s education.
If a company covers any part of an employee’s education, they are essentially guaranteeing that an employee will add more value to your clients’ portfolios. This is crucial for (1) becoming a leader in your industry and (2) harnessing greater opportunities to earn additional revenue streams.
3) Send employees to networking events.
Employees who network gain more business. Gaining clients is essentially a numbers game. The more people you expose your employees to, while they dedicate their time to represent your company, the more likely you are to gain customers either directly or indirectly.
4) Sign-up employees for seminars and conferences.
Attending seminars and/or conferences takes networking events to a whole new level. This is not only a group of people looking to socialize, it is also a group of people who wish to actively grow and learn. This openness that these people have from the moment they walk in the doors allows for significant brainstorming and business opportunities for your employees to partake in.
5) Guide employees in earning industry-standard certifications.
Rewards show employees that you notice their hard work and encourage them that they are on the right path. Implement a company-wide employee of the month award. Offer an award to the person who sells the most products or services, as well as an award to someone who earns the greatest revenue for the company that year. Recognize employees who have won-back clients or upsold them on a package. Show employees their voice matters by encouraging managers to always thoughtfully consider their employee’s ideas to better the company. Show them how to follow-up with their employees in a timely manner, so as to further convince them that the company values all they have to offer.
Simply, make sure your employees feel important and seen. Enacting these five tips will not only make your employees better able to meet your clients’ needs, but also make your employees happier, more satisfied, and more productive for your company’s benefit.