KickStart: Bonus your people ’emotionally’ when you warmly express sincere (and specific) gratitude for their hard work.
Owning a home services business is not for the “faint of heart”! It can be a very lonely entrepreneurial journey.😥 In fact, many residential services business owners become isolated, suspicious and even cynical. I get it- I too spent far too many years on this negative path.
But then I realized needed help. And who knew better the pressures and struggles of working for homeowners than… my employees? So I started delegating authority AND sharing accountability with my workers. Amazingly…
My staff responded!👍 Not perfectly, of course. (It helped that I reworked my definition of “perfection”!) Even so, some of my people left and a few I was forced to let go.😥 However, during this process…
I learned a very valuable concept. Employees aren’t super motivated by money!😲 Sure, you should be paying your staff very well. (At least 20% more than the ‘going wage’!) But here’s how to guarantee your workers will love you forever!
Just sincerely thank your employees for their efforts.
WARNING: Nervous about expressing gratitude for fear your workers will want more money?🤔 Don’t be. In fact, research proves when you foster emotional bonds with your staff they’ll work harder and stay longer. (We need to talk about this soon!)
IMPORTANT: Obviously, you need the ‘Very Best People’ on your business team. You’ll discover 100’s of new hiring ideas and systems in our 3-hour, online SFS: Hiring the Very Best! LIVE seminar. To learn more and/or easily register online click HERE. 💲💲💲
Meanwhile, here’s some ‘Sincere Appreciation’ thoughts along with a few guidelines:
1. Call them by name. Psychologists tell us when you call someone by their name they’ll focus on and remember the next five words. For example, count the words here: “Charlie, thank you so much for…” Always call the person by name to start any important statement. (This works in sales too!)
2. Be specific. For example, say, “Charlie, it meant a great deal to me when you cheerfully worked late last week to finish the Burton job on time! Thank you!” This Specific Commendation means much more than a generic, “Thanks for your help…”
3. Go public. I love this motivational concept: “Praise in public, reprove in private.” 💖 So try to make sure the employee’s fellow workers hear (and can share in) your gratitude. If possible you can say, “Hey guys! I just want to give a shout out to Charlie here. He helped us all out when he worked overtime last week to button up the Burton job!” (Turning to Charlie) “Thank you, Charlie!” Others will now chime in! And speaking of “others”…
4. Allow others into the ‘Praise Game’. Include a “Kudos Time” in your regular staff meeting. Allow other employees to give big “KUDOS” to Charlie (or another team member) for going above and beyond in helping them or fellow workers. NOTE: We even had a “KUDOS Box” mounted in the office when employees could nominate other staff members for monthly KUDOS prizes.
Come on- put yourself in Charlie’s place in the grateful company atmosphere profiled above. Right now you’d be thinking, “I LOVE working here!” 💖 And that is exactly how you want every one of your employees to feel!
Steve