Engaged Employees Make or Break Your Business

By Jason Hewlett

Disengaged and uncommitted employees cause more loss of money to business owners than anything else.

I’m not talking about non-engaged employees, they at least keep the lights on…I’m talking about disengaged employees that drive business AWAY!

Think of the last time you had a GREAT experience at a restaurant, a theme park, or checking into a hotel. You probably didn’t post anything about it anywhere on the interwebs, you just went about your life, because it’s expected that things ought to just be done well, that’s why you went there!

But BAD customer service? Oh boy! You’re on every review site known to man, furiously typing, venting frustration and eventually assisting in that company losing business for years to come.

And that’s how it should be.

McDonald’s. A necessary evil. We have put up with their choice of whatever plasticky whatever it is food for years, mostly because often it’s the only road warrior option. But my goodness, add in some bad customer service and you’ve just lost someone and a whole family.

I drove through one the other day in Florida, in desperation on a road trip after accidentally getting caught on a Toll Road (thank you GPS), no other options anywhere for food but gas stations. I asked for a few special things like,

“Do you do hamburgers in a lettuce wrap option?”

Response: “What are you talking about?”

“Do you have any Diet drinks?”

Response: “Why would we have diet drinks other than Diet Coke?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

Response: “What? What are you saying?”

Yeah, that was it. I just pulled away and committed not to go to McD’s anymore. I’m done with them. So is my family. Gas station has better choices.

And now I’m blogging about it.

Disengaged employees make life miserable. The restaurant waiter that doesn’t refill your drink or bring your food fast enough; the theme park’s yawning employees not caring that you just waited 45-minutes in line and they shut it down for maintenance by the time you’re on deck; the hotel front desk uncaring, disinterested in your status, comfort, or answering phones while you’ve been waiting….

These things drive us crazy. And it drives us away. And you lose business over it.

No matter how many meetings you have, coaching them to be their best selves, to always smile, to give their all, it doesn’t matter.

As owner you have done EVERYTHING right, as manager you have drilled it into their heads: Guys, it’s SO EASY to engage, be positive, apologize and just smile!!!

So what is the answer?

The answer is The Promise.

What are your employees committed to?

Do they know your mission statement?

Are they actively engaged in living it?

Are they rewarded by acknowledgment for being awesome?

Do you, as manager or owner, offer up enough appreciation, high-fives, recognition on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to encourage this type of loyalty?

Do these people on your team have any hope to move up in the company and fulfill their dreams?

Want to create employee loyalty, joy, engagement, and trust? Simple: just tap that most essential part of the brain that secretes oxytocin, known for it’s social interactions and bonding, by literally giving a high-five or positively reinforcing positive actions of your wayward worker. Do it enough so the synapses in their brain changes toward you and their job. Repetition drives performance, positive performance drives your business. It will begin to shift their brain, and in turn, their actions. Do it once and that’s ok. Do it every time you see them do something right over a few weeks and they will become the best employee on the planet. Want to learn more on activating the brain? Read “Activate Your Brain” by Scott Halford, he’s my friend so I’m biased, but his studies are genius and will change the game for your company.

It all comes down to COMMITMENT & TRUST. Does your employee feel they are trusted to be the FACE of your empire? Do they feel they have ownership of some kind, not in bottom line and stock shares, rather in personal pride to make the company look and be even better than advertised?! What is their level of commitment? That’s your job to help them understand it and be excited about it.

When you TRUST your employees, give them room and a place to shine, give acknowledgement and social congratulations, be sincere and suggest they use their Signature Moves as only they can – after all, that’s why you hired them in the first place. And when they apply these simple things, and truly live The Promise of the Employee, The Team, AKA The Family, your customers will stay, and not write negative reviews, and your business will continue to thrive the way you meant it to in the first place.

And from there it’s a matter of achieving such a high-level of The Promise & The Engagement Experience, that people will turn to the interwebs and write a review out of sheer joy and wonderment all about your company. And that’s the next step in your Promise training.