Happy employees equals happy customers

It is a fact that happy customers are the growth enhancers to your business. They are the ones, because of whom your business will elevate towards success. Hence, it is crucial that you take the necessary measures to make sure that your customers are happy.

“Customer happiness results in trust,” and in any relationship, whether it is a B2C or a B2B, trust is an essential factor. If your customers trust you, they will return, and if they don’t, they won’t.

In this relationship, your employees act as a ‘bridge’ between the company and the customers, which makes sure your customers are happy, and the relationship is unimpaired. You would want your employees to give their hundred percent because the more your employees care, it will result in more satisfied customers.

You expect your employees to care about your business as much as you do, as you are paying them for their work. Nonetheless, is salary enough to make your employees really care about your business and your customers? Is making your employees happy necessary? How does a happy employee make happy customers?

Research at Kansas State University stated that Unhappy employees cost $390,000 in loss per year due to a lack of productivity.

Gallup.com says: Unhappy Employees cost American businesses $300 Billion.

I present you with eight things which you can implement at your workplace today to make sure that your employees are happy :

Growth Opportunities :

When an employee joins an organization, the expectant result is usually to make this their career and not a short term employment opportunity. Let them know that they have a chance to grow with you. This will boost up your employee’s morale leading them into giving their best to your business.

Training and Development:

Making “learning and development” a part of the company culture will provide your employees with the correct tools and confidence to work with your customers more effectively.

Recognition :

When an employee does something good in the organization, recognize that job done. It not only makes them happy but gives them the passion for devoting their energy into producing more results.

The Boston Consulting Group conducted an online global study of 200,000 employees from 189 countries in 2014. They found that “Globally, the most important single job element for people is an appreciation for their work.”

Positive in Public :

When an Employee does something which is genuinely an accomplishment, do not refrain from letting your whole team know about the achievement. This not only boosts up the enthusiasm of one employee, but it creates a vibrant culture of healthy competition among your employees to do their job better.

Negative in Private (Professional Criticism): :

If an employee makes a mistake, do not denounce them in-front of the whole world. Instead, meet them separately and teach them how to make it right.

Researchers say, when you call out an employee in public, the feedback given by you can result in frustration, even if you mean good. On the contrary, when the criticism is provided privately, the employee is most likely to respect that and try to improve.

Diane Gottsman (Owner, The Protocol School of Texas, and a writer at Inc.com) says, “Addressing an issue with an employee is a delicate matter. Do not involve an audience by voicing your concerns in the office break room or other public areas. Instead, hold your conversation in a comfortable location, preferably your office, a conference room, or a coffee shop away from the bustle of the workday. This will minimize uncomfortable feelings and allow you to speak candidly.”

Fun working environment:

Fun working environment doesn’t always mean hosting parties in office; nonetheless, using this social convention builds a better relationship between you and your employees. A workplace needs to have a positive atmosphere where the talents are recognized, and feedbacks are welcomed. Create an atmosphere where the employee can be excited to come the next day.

Be a leader, not a Boss:

You are in this position because someone inspired you, and someone led you this way. While you hold power to demand results, being a leader, and working with the team in achieving the goal produces more significant outcomes. There is a difference between “find a way and reach there,” and “by going this way, you will reach there.” By being a leader, you will contribute to creating great leaders such as yourself for the future.

Rewards:

The word Incentive means “a payment or concession to stimulate greater output or investment.”

Psychologists say that incentive programs can boost employees’ performance by anywhere from 25 to 44 percent in a research paper conducted for Incentive research Foundation. Read more on: Incentives, Motivation, and Workplace Performance: Research and Best Practices.

“How to improve employee productivity?” is a question that almost all workplaces have. However, if a simple gesture of keeping the employees happy brings a difference, then why not do it? If your employees are productive and they care about the company, the happiness will reflect in your customers as they will be getting service from an employee who genuinely cares.