How Human Is Your Workplace

This post is the second installment in a six-part series by guest blogger, Jay Forte, Humanetrics LLC. 

Jay is scheduled to kick off the 2011 Image Conference with "The Greatness Zone" general session on Wednesday, July 13. Later in the day, Jay will present two additional sessions: “Will You Fit Here? The Talent Based Approach to Find and Hire the Right Employee” and “Intellectual Age Recruiter - Becoming a Strategic Business Partner”. Register for the Image Conference today to hear Jay! 

How Human Is Your Workplace
Jay Forte, Humanetrics LLC

I was a CPA and CFO. I totally get that business is about results – the bottom line. I am also wise enough to understand that the key to great results is a commitment to engage and inspire our people, so they choose to show up to work and consistently do great things.

The migration from the industrial age (make things) economy to today’s intellectual (provide service) economy no longer has employees working behind machines; they are now face-to-face and phone-to-phone with customers. This customer contact has completely changed the role, work and impact of employees.

Great information presented in the book Human Sigma by Dr. John Fleming supports that achieving customer loyalty (not just satisfaction) requires building an emotional connection between the customer and a product, brand, company or person. And at the heart of this event is the passionate, talented and engaged employee, watching for opportunities to connect more significantly with customers. And behind this level of employee connection is a workplace that wisely chooses, supports, educates, values and inspires its employees.

So the question I generally ask organizations is, How human is your workplace?

Do you hire people based on their talents, strengths and passions so they get to use their unique abilities in roles that make sense for them and they have the ability to shine?

Do you have a compelling vision, mission, belief and purpose that employees can feel part of?

Do you create meaningful and achievable reward and recognition programs to celebrate both effort and success?

Do you offer education to encourage employees to stay current, constantly learn and bring their best to their work?

Do you provide recurring performance feedback to stay in touch with employees and support their growth?

Your people are your profits. Highly engaged employees create the critical emotional connected customers need to move customers from satisfied to loyal. These employees bring their best when they feel valued, supported and cared for. We can no longer mandate performance – we must inspire it. And the more we value our employees for their unique abilities and impact, the more we inspire their loyalty. More about this at the 2011 Image Conference in Raleigh.