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Companies and new hires should remember that business is a two-way street. Companies cannot hire and retain just anyone at the expense of the customer experience, as employees are the right management of any company.
While employees are not irreplaceable, they are essential to the health and success of a business and companies should respond now. At a time when employees seem to have all the power, it’s important to prioritize their needs and goals.
Related: Here’s What Employees Believe Makes a Great Leader
This is what it looks like when employees have the power
Companies still think they have to choose between prioritizing customers and employees, but they forget that a powerful customer experience starts with an employee-first approach. From a business perspective, a great employee experience drives revenue.
The pandemic forced employers to prioritize customers over line workers, as companies’ first priority was to ensure long-term success. However, in the gig economy, workers struggle with worker insecurity and a lack of fundamental labor rights with guarantees.
The current trend is for employees to choose the company, leaving companies feeling pressured to “put their best foot forward” thanks to the Great Resignation. Hopefully the working conditions for line workers will improve as a result of this pressure.
Companies forget that employees and managers are in the trenches more than any CEO or executive. They are more closely involved with the daily routine, so that they have a better eye for what their teams need. It used to be called a frontline paradox: Frontline workers are often the first to feel impending change, but the last to be heard within an organization.
Yes, management and founders play a vital role in a company’s success, but treating employees as a means to an end is harmful. As many industries are finding out with this labor shortage, they need this so-called “disposable” workforce much more than they realize.
Again, it’s all about balance. It is possible to empower line workers without reducing a company’s value and profit. Even from a purely business point of view, it is better to develop and maintain a stable team rather than leave employees lying around.
Here are four ways your company can adapt to this changing employee climate.
1. Create a positive mindset
Treat your team with a sincere people center. Offer workplace training, try to promote from the inside out and put a strong emphasis on a team atmosphere where we are all built together.
It is a mistake to treat workers as robots or disposables that need to be used up and replaced. For years this was the norm and the pandemic has finally put these harmful practices in the spotlight.
2. Believe in your people and let them grow
Believing in your employees is essential for success, especially if you run a startup that is in a rapid growth phase. This means promotions need to happen quickly. Hire people from different backgrounds and welcome them to your team. For example, I’ve hired both a successful opera singer and a formerly homeless person; both have been a huge asset to our mission!
Related: How Real Leaders Coach Their Employees for Success
3. Collect insight
Best Buy asked its frontline employees to predict how certain events would affect retail sales. The collective forecasts of frontline workers are often more accurate than official forecasts.
Ask your team to bring ideas to the table and let them initiate discussions and innovation. But remember this will be for a loss if they feel unappreciated and empowered. The Food Rocket bag stamp, for example, is handmade by an employee. Another team member took the initiative to create awards, bonus programs and awards to recognize and reward hard workers.
Related: How to Let Your Employees Know They’re Your Heroes
4. Break Boundaries
Finally, it is the job of the CEO and senior management to be approachable and always available to everyone in the company. Management is not a lofty overseer; they are part of the same team as everyone else.
I tell my team this isn’t just any gig. If they want to take responsibility for their role, they have access to training that will help them in all future endeavours.
Treating your line employees as management means giving them the same level of access to you. Access is powerful; it makes your team feel that their thoughts, opinions and concerns matter.
Many competitors do not share this view, but we all hope that this will change in the future. If you make sure you hire smart and ambitious people, it’s wise to make them feel like they can think along and come up with ideas and be rewarded for their efforts.
Ultimately, the bottom line for CEOs and top management is that it’s perfectly normal for line workers to have power in the workplace. It is preferred, especially in today’s economy. Involve your team in business, make your employees feel like they matter, and remember that everyone can contribute equally to your business.
