By: Slivensky, Don. Leadership Excellence, Jul 2006, Vol. 23 Issue 7, p7-7, 1p
When FORTUNE magazine featured MicroTek in an article titled, "A Happy Staff Equals Happy Customers," it raised the bar for us. A public declaration that your staff is happy creates more pressure to keep them happy—something that we have been able to sustain and still have a low employee turnover rate.
The business world moves faster than ever. Today's talent is not only global, but diversified, dispersed and constantly in need of training and education to keep pace. To achieve this velocity, companies are constantly looking for ways to introduce training faster, cheaper and more effectively. With organizations spending billions of dollars annually on training and education, out-tasking certain functions of the training process has become necessary to maximize available resources and minimize costs.
For more than 10 years, the training logistics experts at MicroTek have been providing clients with the mission-critical facilities and services needed to train their global workforce. Events are handled with such precision that MicroTek scores high marks in customer satisfaction surveys.
The primary reason for this is our employees. Each detail is meticulously executed. It's not just a focus on the customer, it's the genuine passion for what they do that shines through.
Shortly after the Fortune article was published, we were asked to contribute a chapter on employee selection and retention to a book. The editor asked why our employees were so happy, and we figured the best way to answer her question was to ask them. So in a blind survey, they told us four reasons why they stay:
1. Empowerment: Each employee knows and internalizes the understanding that they are empowered to make decisions in the interest of the client and the company. We seek out self starters and creative-thinkers with hospitality and customer service orientations who can make their own independent, informed decisions. We look for people who will apply a sense of ownership to their responsibilities, and in turn feel a sense of loyalty and accomplishment with the ongoing success of the company. All of MicroTek's employees know the importance of customer service and "go the extra mile." We look for exemplary customer service skills in our prospective employees, and we have made hospitality and customer service part of the culture. The employees who wholeheartedly adopt this customer-service culture are the most successful.
2. Value: When we ask our employees how they felt about working here, the responses illustrate that each of MicroTek's employees feels valued, and knows that he or she is important to the success of the company. They are grateful for the autonomy that they have in their positions, but know that their suggestions are always welcome, and feel secure in the ability to elevate any issue at any time. They have seen MicroTek take care of employees in times of need, and that has inspired great loyalty. There is a true sense of family, of camaraderie, of caring and generosity. Above all else, they are proud of the work that MicroTek does and the company that MicroTek has become, stating that it is an honor and a privilege to work here.
3. Respect: Everyone at MicroTek knows they can bring any issue directly to the CEO or any other team member for open discussion. We provide our employees with a "blind survey" that enables them to raise any issues they have. The responses are sent directly to the me, the CEO, and I read every one, and the information is categorized, summarized, and distributed company-wide. The executive team devotes meetings to review the individual-specific feedback we get, and we implement action plans to address any issues. The feedback isn't always easy to read, but some of our best ideas and contributions have come from our employees. MicroTek employees know that their opinions are valued and respected and that they have a direct impact on the direction and success of the company.
4. Recognition: Recognizing the good work that employees do is easier said than done. With a tight knit group, there is much to celebrate both in our corporate lives and our personal lives. We try to recognize our employees for all their work daily in addition to instances of exemplary customer service. Along with verbal recognition, we plan company events and contests, monetary bonuses based on customer service survey scores, and awards for outstanding work. MicroTek gives out trips as rewards, assists employees in times of need, and is always searching out ways to make the work environment friendly, accommodating, and fun. As a company, we celebrate the events and successes of our employees' lives—marriages, graduations, and promotions—fostering a sense of community and dedication. MicroTek's employees know that the company is dedicated to them and their successes, and the employees respond by giving their all to MicroTek and MicroTek's customers.
Having a happy staff is by no means easy; it takes a concentrated effort to remember what's important, especially as the company grows. We were lucky to begin the culture with these principles and find that they have taken on a life of their own.
We find that if we stick to these four principles—empowerment, value, respect and recognition—we build an organization with world-class values and people who consistently exceed our customer expectations and even our own, sometimes. Ultimately, our actions speak louder than these four words—not only to our customers but to our employees.
LE
Don Slivensky is CEO of MicroTek. His focus is strategic direction to promote extended growth and long-term value.
Contact Michelle Ison, Director of Marketing. Visit www.mclabs.com or cal 800-207-9620 x203. F: (630) 719-0211, E: michellei@mclabs.com
ACTION: How can you make your people happier?