Employees need to feel they’re valued

I was sitting in my office after what I thought had been a standard staff meeting. We reviewed some challenges we were facing, comments from the board on assorted subjects and next steps to take regarding projects. Pretty run-of-the mill topics in our office culture.

As the afternoon unfolded, at least half the staff wandered in and thanked me. They all had different things to say, but the common thread was, “Thanks for letting us know what is happening.”

Wow, you mean there are companies that do not share vision, problem-solving and such with the rank and file? Hmmm. I started to ask questions, and some responses were not so much surprising as affirmative.

Employees want to know what is happening and they want to offer suggestions and ideas. They like to be asked questions and listened to. But the comments they shared drove me to conclude that there are still companies out there treating staff like mushrooms.

With our area unemployment rate under 5 percent, we all need to consider how to attract and keep good employees and how to make our businesses great places to work.

Here are some suggestions to keep your employees happy and working in your place, not down the street:

“Be inclusive; share the good news and bad news, and ask for input.

“Listen to what your staff says. They’re closer to the customer than you are in many cases.

“If your company is facing change or challenge, be open in your communication. The truth is almost always less frightening than whatever the rumor mill comes up with.

“Make sure your managers are not undermining your style of open communication.

“When you conduct performance evaluations, be sure to get input from coworkers, people they manage and other managers.

“Don’t play favorites, or hold people to different standards. It just builds walls.

“Make it fun, and your employees will be more productive, less petty and like each other a whole lot better. To do that, form a “fun committee” to plan an event each month. It might be as simple as a catered theme lunch, like Mexican food for Cinco de Mayo, or something silly like Crazy Hat Day. Arrange for a monthly “chair massage therapist” to visit, or several if you have a large staff.

“Grab a staff member you don’t spend much time with and go get a cup of coffee.

“Out of the blue, send someone home early who did something outstanding.

“Pass out $50 bonuses at full staff meetings, and tell everyone why they did something so wonderful they deserved a picture of Grant.

“Plan department or company-wide fun events, like bowling, miniature golf or a trip to the lake.

“Don’t short-change continuing training and education — it’s your smartest investment.

There must be a billion studies out there about why employees leave. Money is not at the top of the list, but it does matter. Top of the list, when employees are asked what is important in a job:

“Appreciation for a job well-done

“Liking co-workers

“Feeling like an important contributor to the company

“Money

“Flexibility in schedule

How do you measure up in these five areas when compared with your competition? Would you want to work for you? For your management team? Are your employees beginning to look like mushrooms? Wonder why?

I was sitting in a meeting recently and the woman next to me was asking about her husband joining a service club. I mentioned that the president of her company was a member and I thought would be happy to take the woman’s husband as a guest. She laughed, and said, “I have worked there for over six years and never met him; I guess I am not important enough.”

I wondered how far down the food chain that feeling of chattel fell. What a lovely place to work. But — I know where to look for my next employee.