If you ever look on Glassdoor, a site that let's real employees rate and review their work establishment, post job opportunities and recruit for available job openings, you can tell a lot from a companies reviews.
There is a certain "echo in the crowd" that keeps getting passed on. This works both positively and negatively.
When companies are great, you'll hear about the perks and benefits of being part of their establishment.
When a company is 'not so great' you'll hear about the problems with the management and morale.
But, what is it that contributes to the great and not so great establishments?
Member engagement, that doesn't just concern your clientele, but also your employees; it is what 'makes or breaks' a companies reputation. And it is said, all we have is our reputation. The way your company is perceived in the public eye is important, and even more so with social media always at earshot distance.
So, here are a few things you can concentrate on to make sure your companies reputation and member engagement remain stellar. The old adage, "happy employees make for happy customers" is true. And if you're going through some company turmoil, you may wish to implement a serious plan for improving your engagement, before it's too late.
START WITH GRATITUDE
Everyone loves to be appreciated. When people commit to 40+ hours of their life each week to building your company, they need to know their efforts matter. It can be as simple as a pat on the back, or an hour off early with pay on a Tuesday afternoon, unexpectedly. Saying thank you never goes out of style, and can never be overdone.
ADDRESS EMPLOYEE CONCERNS PROMPTLY
Nothing gets blown out of proportion like a disgruntled employee left to brew. They talk. They tell everyone on staff, they text their loved ones, they post 'vague' status updates on social media. The people they don't tell, know too, because their face gives it away. Always take the time to listen to your staff, and address their concerns. If you can't properly address something in the moment, take the time to set up a real appointment to connect where you can address the situation. Give some temporary reassurance in the interim. If the situation is overly dramatic, give the afternoon off to contain the disturbance until you are able to have the meeting about the situation. It is better to chalk one up for mental health, which it is, than to let it infect the rest of the establishment.
ASK FOR HELP
So often, business owners want to avoid asking for more out of their staff than what they already expect. But when you are facing deadlines, big projects or growing pains, ask all members of the staff for help. People want to be included, and everyone can contribute something. That's what teamwork is all about... If you are facing a challenge, communicate that with your crew. They want to see the company reach success, and knowing they played a role in avoiding a potential crisis gives a level of satisfaction and pride and builds camaraderie better than any box of doughnuts ever can.