How to Add Value to Your
Businesss Most Valuable Resource

by Joyce Weiss, M.A., CSP

Businesses across the country are spending countless dollars attempting to give themselves a competitive edge. They research logo designs, conduct focus groups and randomly sample customers in an attempt to learn what will set them apart in their clients eyes. What they fail to realize is that their most precious resource, the one that will set them apart from any other company, has been with them all along. Its their employee base, and how they motivate and nurture their employees can make or break their organization.

Why are your employees so important to your bottom line? Because their actions have a direct impact on every customer, whether they have face-to-face contact or not. The quality of their work and the speed of their service speak volumes about your companys overall reputation. When employees are happy and motivated, theyre eager to get the job done and increase your bottom line. However, when employees are dwelling on negative emotions and feeling burnt-out and unappreciated, those impressions will show in their work habits and adversely affect your customers perception of the organization.

If your employees are no longer enthusiastic about their jobs and are bringing down the companys morale, there are ways you can recharge and revitalize your workforce so you can reap the profits you desire. The fact is that deep down, all employees want a sense of hope and enthusiasm in their job, but they may not know how to rekindle that emotion. Thats why it is up to you to keep that spark alive and help your employees add value to the company. Below are four ways to increase morale in any organization so that your employees will not only work for you, but also with you to create a company with a distinct competitive edge.

Lead by example
Motivation and morale start at the top and filter down. They never filter up. Thats why CEOs and managers need to make the first commitment to fostering a positive and nurturing environment. If the top-level managers dont see the value in increasing morale and attempt quick fixes at employee motivation, their efforts wont last the long-term.

Employees will always imitate what they see their supervisors doing. If supervisors simply tout the importance of staying positive and focused but then complain and ridicule at the first opportunity they get, employees will know that their managers are simply giving lip service to their high morale ideals. Be a model for everyone in your organization by staying motivated and positive. Most important, truly believe in the benefits your actions will bring.

Encourage straight talk
Straight talk means being able to communicate without alienation or hurt feelings. When employees constantly feel criticized or when they feel that they cant openly communicate with their managers and co-workers, morale goes down the drain and employees will be unwilling to exert full effort to each and every task.

To encourage straight talk in your organization, meet one-on-one with employees, especially those who are unusually negative or who have lower than normal morale. Tell these people the strengths they bring to the team, and then carefully cite how their lack of morale is pulling everyone down. Realize that the employee may not be aware of his or her negative attitude or how its affecting the company and clients.

Encourage all your employees to use straight talk as well. When your employees know they can communicate openly without fear of being criticized, theyll be more apt to offer feedback, ideas and suggestions, and will feel more a part of the team. The result will be a higher work standard and improved customer care.

Show you care
Many employees today complain that while theyre expected to care about the company and its profits, they feel that the company pays little regard to them or their feelings. If this is the case in your company, make an effort to show your employees that you value their input and have an interest in them beyond that of an employee.

Many managers find success by taking their department out of the office for an informal lunch. Its during these times that employees feel comfortable enough to air out their true grievances. If youre fortunate enough to have this occur in your department, truly listen to what your employees are saying and uncover the true problems that may be holding them back from giving their all at work.

Attempt to fix any problem you can. If your employees cite problems that you cant fix, tell them so, empathize with them, and then tell them why the situation cant be changed. As long as they realize that you understand, are truly listening and want to help them, theyll feel appreciated and respected and will work with you to overcome the challenge thats holding them back.

Offer diversity
Some employees who are not performing may simply be overwhelmed, exhausted or bored. A great way to overcome any of these emotions is to offer diversity to your employees workday. Since most people enjoy varying and new activities, initiate job sharing options, new training opportunities or job skills classes. Some suggestions are allowing employees to shadow one another in order to learn a new task, offering on-site computer or other technical training and conducting informal workshops that teach hands-on skills.

Very often, having the opportunity to start over or learn a new task is a liberating experience that encourages creativity. While your employees are learning new skills, make sure they know that when learning a new task, mistakes are inevitable. Encourage them to learn from these mistakes so they can apply the lessons learned in their other duties as well.

Additionally, when you encourage employees to try new things, they can get a sense of their likes and dislikes, which will help guide them to the most suitable job type for their personality. When your employees are not afraid to take risks and try something new, theyll be more apt to let their true talents shine. When this happens, your company and clients are the ones to ultimately benefit.

Theres no doubt that your employees play an integral part in your organizations success. Thats why you need to consider them as your most valuable resource. When you can keep your employees motivated and enthusiastic about the tasks at hand, your clients form positive perceptions about your organization, your products and your services. You stand out as the market leader and gain the competitive advantage you need to succeed. The end result is not only more satisfied customers, but also an organization that thrives.

Joyce Weiss works with people to reenergize their passion for work and to increase morale and the bottom line. Joyce is the author of the books Full Speed Ahead: Become Driven by Change and Take the Ride of Your Life! You can reach her at 1-, or www.joyceweiss.com.

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