A few weeks ago, I attended an open day at a company
our neighbourhood. I was vaguely familiar with the company, but didn’t know it from the inside.
What I saw during the open day made a deep impression
on me. Everything looked neat and festive, but that’s actually to be expected
at an open day. What made the biggest impression, however, were the staff who spoke with pride
and enthusiasm spoke about the company, their workplace and their
duties.
Preparing for an open day like this takes weeks or even months.
First, a plan needs to be drawn up so that it’s clear to everyone what needs to
, what we’ll be showcasing as a company, and what we’ll be highlighting in particular.
Of course, everything must be neat and tidy. If everyone pulls together, an event like this will be a success, and
in this instance, it was a great success.
However, one thing that can never be achieved in just a few weeks is ensuring that (your own)
staff are beaming and conveying to visitors that they are proud of
their company, proud of the new, modern premises and proud of the production and the
products.
’s added valueI regularly visit companies where staff motivation
is not seen as a key source of added value for customers, or in any
case, it is often not explicitly recognised as such. Yet it is precisely those motivated staff
who will go the extra mile for that demanding customer, or if something
(almost) goes wrong, so that customer disappointment can be avoided.
Motivated staff who work in a close-knit team will also
complement and support one another. If someone is having a bad day, or makes a mistake,
others in the team will step in to cover for them, so that the customer doesn’t notice a thing.
Someone who enjoys their work and takes pride in the product they
produces is more likely to spot when something does not meet quality standards and will
spontaneously report it or rectify it themselves.
Cost-conscious
At a time when cost-consciousness is important for every business
, many managers will emphasise productivity and efficiency. There’s
is nothing wrong with that, but staff motivation certainly also contributes to high
productivity and efficiency. (Just think of factors such as quality, costs
of downtime and ‘getting it right first time’.)
Balance
Creating an inspiring workplace for everyone whilst
maintaining the desired levels of productivity and efficiency can go hand in
. In fact, I am convinced that, provided the right
balance is struck, can reinforce one another. It is precisely those companies that succeed in
find and promote that balance are the ones that can look to the future with confidence
.
