Category Archives: small business

The Do’s & Don’ts of Emojis at Work

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World Emoji Day is marked by the iPhone calendar emoji as July 17. In 2015, people began celebrating the day by posting their favorite emojis to Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites. Of course, anyone can have fun with emojis online, but what can employees do who are working all day? Is sending a celebration emoji in a workplace email appropriate, or should they maintain their place online and in text messaging?

The Do's & Don'ts of Emojis at Work

Back in 1982, Scott Fahlman sent the first recorded smiley emoticon, “: – ),” in an email. He wanted the symbol to be used for jokes, but now the emoticons have evolved into a whole assortment of emotions. While Fahlman may not have been sending a professional email, many people wonder if communicating this way in the workplace is appropriate. There have been numerous inquiries about email etiquette throughout the years, especially within the past decade. Using too many exclamation points and adding text lingo such as “lol” or “omg” are both universally accepted as unprofessional. Many businesses prefer not to let their employees use them, but others have been more lenient if they are used in the right way. Emojis have been gaining traction over the past few years, so it’s time that we take a look at the do’s and don’ts of emoji usage in the workplace.

#BusinessCode: The Do’s and Don’ts of using #emojis in the workplace. #WorldEmojiDay

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DO:


Emojis at WorkUnderstand email etiquette – If you are ever unsure about whether to send an emoji email, then you should probably check with your coworkers to make sure it is okay to send. Check to see if your company has a style guide for how to send formal vs. informal emails.

Avoid ambiguity – Emojis can mean different things to different people. For example, what I think is an emoji for being upset, you may think is an emoji for being tired. If you do decide to use them, it’s probably best to stick to the simple happy and sad faces for less confusion.

Determine the right context – Should you be using laughing face emojis when discussing poor company performance? No. This example may be extreme, but examining the context of your email is important to avoid awkwardness or rudeness.

DON’T


Overuse – Just like using more than one exclamation mark is unadvisable, so is using more than one emoji. Adding too many of them to your emails may annoy others and cause confusion as to what you are trying to say.

Use to get a point across – What would you think if your boss sent you an email that said, “Bring those reports to my office tomorrow or you’re fired :)”? Your boss may be Emojis at Workusing the smiley to get the point across that he is joking with you, but this type of message can be misinterpreted. Being outright and frank with coworkers is always the best option.

Send to your boss – This may seem self-explanatory, but the majority of authority figures in your workplace want to be treated with respect. While you may think you are being friendly, your boss may think you are being unprofessional.

This outline of rules for emojis at work is not anything that should be set in stone. The guidelines for language and communication are changing every day. Five years ago, using emojis in professional emails was unheard of, but now 78% of Americans are using them at work, according to one survey. The truth is that communication evolves over time, and only you know best how to interact at your company. Some people may send an emoji email celebrating July 17, and others may not do anything at all. Whatever you do, we want to wish you a Happy World Emoji Day!

Do you use emojis for work purposes?

Steps to Better Marketing Team Building

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“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships” is a quote famously given by the legend, Michael Jordan. A lot of people get confused when it comes to the topic of talent. Most think it’s all they need to succeed. In some cases, such as professional basketball, it’s a huge part. Some people are born with natural abilities that make up their talent; there’s definitely a big difference between an individual who is 6’8” and someone who is 5’4” when trying out for a basketball team. Who do you think is more likely to be the first round pick? I’ll admit, there is some flaw to that analogy. Work ethic, hustle, and mental capacity make up the difference whether it’s in the NBA or in your marketing department.

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When building or refining your marketing team, it’s really all about filling in the gaps between talent, brains, and hustle. Which brings us to our first step in building the ultimate marketing team.

When building or refining your #marketing team, it’s really all about filling in the gaps between talent, brains, and hustle.

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Step 1. Identify the gaps.

Let’s do a little audit with your current marketing team. Divide your employees into categories. The creative, the strategist, the analysts, and so on. Now identify the gaps. What are gaps exactly? Gaps are when your marketing team is missing or doesn’t have the right skill set to keep the cogs turning.

This inevitably means you need to grow your team and you’ve reached that “oh crap” phase.

The good news is that you’ve caught your dilemma and you’re taking the initiative to fix it. So good for you! You’ve now realized that there are blocks in your team that are preventing you from achieving your goals. Your talent gaps have led to performance gaps. The bad news is that performance gaps act as ceilings on your results.

What you shouldn’t do is go and hire 10 new people to fill these gaps. Schedule evaluations with your current team members to identify what’s working for them, what their passions are, and what you actually need. You’ll be surprised when you find that hidden pool of talent within your current team hasn’t surfaced until this point. Sometimes all it takes is being personal with your employees and showing them that your interest is to cultivate their passion.

Step 2. Be realistic.

If you had unlimited resources, you would create the perfect team in no time. The cost of the team would be unimportant. What you need to focus on is where you stand now, what resources you currently have available, and where it all exists in reality. Create a plan that outlines how you’re going to fill the remaining gaps. Minimize waste in your department to free up your budget and begin to position your team to scale.

Step 3. Worry about the gap, not the project.

Turnover isn’t a word that sits well with any business of any size. Sometimes it creates problems, but it’s exactly what you need to weed out the main gaps within your department. You can look at it one of two ways; you’ll have the waste of always looking for new talent, delays due to always trying to find that perfect talent, bringing people up to speed…OR you can look at it as a worthwhile investment in furthering your team’s strengths. Don’t hire contractors and agencies for what they can accomplish. Hire them for what they do best. There are agencies that can give you the world, but there are only few who can work with their passion. There are people who were made to do a few things really well; those people were designed to fill your gaps.

Now it’s time to begin again. Remember, a well-oiled marketing team is always going to be a work in progress and will be far from perfect.

Not everyone who starts with you will make it to the finish. Realizing that priorities and needs change in team members as well as the company, helps rationalize what could be a tough decision ahead.

Team building is a necessary part of business. Forming the right team is an art that few businesses have yet to master. Are you the next Picasso?

Humor Goes a Long Way With Red Nose Day

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Red Nose Day! It’s a day of acting silly, sharing some laughs, and of course wearing the infamous red nose. Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day happens to be today–May 26, 2016. ‘Tis the moment to spread awareness and to support some really great causes.

Red Nose Day ABG CapitalThe campaign’s slogan says it all ­– “Laugh. Give. Save a kid.” According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, “More than 16 million children in the United States- 22 percent of all children- live in families with income below the federal poverty level. That’s just the U.S. alone; Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day contributions also help children in the poorest communities in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. All of the money raised supports projects that ensure kids are safe, healthy, and educated. Red Nose Day is a monolithic biennial event that has been very effective at using comedy to raise money. Since its inception in 1988, it has raised over $650 million, with $108 million being raised at its most recent event alone.

Red Nose Day at ABG CapitalWho’s involved? Some of the world’s top charitable organizations, that’s who! Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Covenant House, Feeding America, and The Global Fund are just a few of the organizations involved.

ABG Capital staff members raised awareness today by stopping by their local Walgreen’s and purchasing plenty of Red Noses for employees to wear around the office…and of course they had as much fun as they could while wearing them throughout the day!

Red Nose Day InspiraSo why is comedy the remedy for acquiring donors? The Comic Relief Foundation has tapped into a niche of the nonprofit world that really hasn’t been targeted before: humor. Laughing and being silly is working for the organization quite well. Everyone knows the old proverb “laughter is the best medicine”, but there’s a lot more power to humor than its medicinal qualities. Tickling people’s funny bones is also a great way to capture and maintain attention. Something Red Nose Day is accomplishing effectively, especially when partnering with a network as sizable as NBC.

Charitable organizations can use humor to help raise awareness, gain partners, and raise funding. Of course nonprofits should be mindful with regard to how they use humor; no one wants to be in the position of offending someone or making light of human suffering.

Comedy can be memorable and doing it the right way for the right reasons can indeed boost awareness and even more money. If it captures your attention, it’s already done its job.

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Have fun today–Throw on your #rednose and red flair and do your part for this year’s #RedNoseDay!

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Also, tune into NBC tonight at 9/8c for the Red Nose live TV special and have some laughs. Happiness goes a very long way, and could be the cure.

Are you participating in Red Nose Day? How so?

4 Keys to Success from the Gazelles Growth Summit

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It’s that time of year again–time for the annual Gazelles Growth Summit! ABG Capital’s top dogs are fortunate enough to travel once again to this learning event in Atlanta to continue their growth and education in the world of leadership.

ABG Capital, along with hundreds of other business owners, will learn from CEOs of some of the world’s top companies to understand their habits, experiences and insights to craft an industry dominating strategy!

gazelles 1This year’s summit is focused on Verne Harnish’s book Scaling Up- Mastering the Rockefeller Habits 2.0. There will be a buffet of knowledgeable guest speakers presenting, including Jim Whitehurst, David Butler and Aubrey Daniels just to name a few. Also, team workshops that focus on the “Rockefeller Habits 2.0” in a day-long spirit of “how-to” interaction, collaboration and networking will be featured.gazelles 2

Today we’re going to dig right into the meat and potatoes of Scaling Up and showcase how ABG Capital practices the four main strategies found in the book on the day-to-day.

To summarize the book (which is almost sacrilegious to do), Harnish focuses on four keys to scaling your business. Keys that allow some companies to “make-it” and the rest to fall.

The keys are:

  1. Attract and keep the right people
  2. Create a truly differentiated strategy
  3. Drive flawless execution
  4. Have plenty of cash to weather the storms

The People

The book states that the job of the leaders is to make sure the right people are doing the right things.

Your values and culture should be so strong that they act like an immune system, forming a system of protection against those who may not align, all for the greater good and health of your organization.

At ABG Capital we invest in our employees. We cultivate them and promote their growth and success. We shape our employees into their roles and allow them embrace their passions. When everything aligns, it’s almost magical. It’s wonderful to see our teams share our C.O.R.E. Values, make them their own and embrace their responsibilities. Our organization exists almost as an accounting statement. Each produced effort has a column with numbers of the extraordinary people responsible. It only becomes problematic when those names in the column don’t align with the work and values presented.

Some companies may think turnover is a scary outcome within their business. It’s actually a good outcome. Only when you invest in your employees are they at the peak of strength. Why? You’re weeding out the B and C players that eventually become toxic to your A players–the players in which you invest.

The only way to grow a company is people first. Invest in development and your outcomes will flourish.

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The Strategy

Core values are the rules and boundaries that define our company’s culture and personality. They’re also the rules and boundaries that define our strategy. We developed a set of C.O.R.E. Values that have helped define our niche, simplify our execution and turn our revenue into profit. Our strategy is differentiated due to the fact that each of our portfolio companies has a Profit Per X. Meaning that our companies individually have one product, service, technology etc. that sets them apart from the rest.

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We each also have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal), a long term goal that changes the nature of business. For example VoIP Innovations, one of ABG Capital’s portfolio companies, differentiates their X Factor, which is their BackOffice software that is unlike anything in the industry today. VoIP Innovations also has a BHAG of offering complete Choice, Automation and Control of their telecom services. Scaling Up teaches us that we need to sandbox our brand promises. Who are our customers? What are we really selling them? What are our three brand promises? And the most important; how do we measure?

The Execution

At ABG Capital we like to focus on three key components to steer our ship in the right direction: priority, data and rhythm. We pride ourselves in focusing on these three words in all that we do. What does that mean exactly? Well let’s break it down. Priority–when you come in to the office bright and early, just poured yourself a coffee and sat down at your desk, you should have a piece of work carried over from the previous work day that needs to be finished before your meeting. This task becomes your priority. Each business day should present a new priority; that one project, simple or complex that needs to be completed before moving on to anything else.

Collecting data requires us to have data. Key performance indicators (KPIs) must be identified, and effort needs to be expended to capture this information. ABG Capital’s KPIs vary between companies and KPIs enable us to measure how we are performing by revealing both areas in which we excel and those in which improvement is needed.

Rhythm is the heartbeat of your organization. Have a daily huddle. This 5-15 minute meeting should be implemented to discuss tactical issues and provide updates. Brief, daily meetings will help establish a rhythm, as can weekly, monthly and quarterly meetings. Meetings are useful for obtaining feedback, getting “real” information, reviewing KPIs and identifying problems that prevent things from running smoothly.

Meetings can even provide those all-too-rare opportunities to pat people on the back and “recharge their batteries.”

The Cash

In Scaling Up,  Harnish says to never blame the industry for your company’s financial situation. “Well, this is just the way it is in our industry,“ isn’t a phrase you’ll hear uttered from top executives. Could you imagine Warren Buffett or Mark Zuckerberg giving a shrug followed by these words? In fact, Harnish says there are only two time-frames that matter: 90 days, 10 years and nothing in between.

Your 90-day plan is data driven, and you’re focused on overcoming the choke point. This is your time to review a daily report of available cash and to note why it has changed in the last 24 hours. Recognizing these changes and following the efficiency and progress of your “rhythm” will promote huge growth in the next decade. So no more excuses–only improvements!

Leadership in a Small Business

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At some point in everyone’s career, they will have a supervisor who gives them direction and expects them to be followed with no deviation. In most organizations today, this can be considered an “old school” way of overseeing an organization or department. This way of thinking has been replaced by models of leadership. Being a leader, rather than a “by the book” supervisor is incredibly important in any size organization, but especially in a small organization. So how do you ensure you have leadership in a small business?

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Small organizations, such as ours (which has around 55 employees), need to use resources wisely. By leading your team, rather than telling them what to do, you are able to give everyone a voice which leads to ideas and invention; rather than just “getting the job done.” Leadership also inspires future leaders and helps with organizational succession planning.

“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” – George S. Patton

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The following, from General Patton’s book on Leadership, will help you understand the basics of good leadership. At ABG Capital, we try to inspire current and future leaders through innovative leadership training.

L – Leaders develop through ability, desire, and opportunity

E – Effectively develop people

A – Address issues proactively

D – Develop potential by leading and making decisions

E – Earn the respect of others

R – Respond

S – Single out and clearly define expectations

H – Have desire and trust to lead unpredictable times

I – Identify the right questions

P – Provide open, honest, trusting, and respectful communication

We’ll leave you with a few more Patton quotes to take with you and keep in mind while you’re leading at the office.

“Always do everything you ask of those you command.” – George S. Patton

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” – George S. Patton

Do you have any favorite quotes or mantras that help you as you lead your team?

A Day of Food Bank Volunteering at ABG Capital

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Chances are, when you were in college, you were involved in volunteer efforts in one way or another. During that time, you learned how rewarding it is to give back to your community, first hand. The feeling of being part of an organization that helps veterans and military families, feeds the hungry, cleans up and cares for the environment or cares for seniors can be a very fulfilling experience. You positively impacted your community, made new friends and gained a sense of purpose with the time you spent volunteering. However, after you graduated, got a full time job, got married and had kids, the hours in the day now rush past in a blur. Even though you would love to still have the time to dedicate to volunteerism, life’s other demands tend to take precedence.

Fortunately, here at ABG Capital, our leadership recognizes the time constraints of our busy lives and builds time to volunteer into our work/life balance by organizing opportunities to give back during the work day. Our latest volunteer event took place last week at the Greater Washington County Food Bank who has been providing groceries and nutritional information and education to food-insecure residents of Washington County for over 33 years! Recently, they’ve moved to a new facility which they hope will maximize their efforts to end hunger and with the anticipated opening of an on-site thrift store, allow them to provide gently used clothing and household items to the community.

Last Friday, we joined them to pack Senior Boxes which go out for delivery to area seniors in need. We packed over 500 boxes of food and had a really fun time working as a team and getting to know the folks who make the GWCFB run! Here are a few pictures of our event!

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If you would like to contact the Greater Washington County Food Bank and offer your volunteer services, you can check out their Get Involved page on their website. Also, not only do we take part in giving back through initiatives like these, we also give back through the Tapolci Foundation. Giving feels good!

Problem Solvers: Customer Service Rules, Part II

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Customers want friendliness. They want to be greeted by a smiling voice and a “Hey, how are you today?” They want empathy, as well. They want to hear you say that if you were in a similar situation, you would feel the same way. A fair resolution to their problem is what all customers are looking for. A customer might ask you for a full refund and a replacement product as a solution and that would certainly make the customer happy but it doesn’t serve your business’s bottom line. Declining to provide any type of accommodation would certainly protect your profit margins but would probably result in a very unhappy customer. Meeting somewhere in the middle will almost always satisfy the caller. Following tried and true customer service rules is the way to do it.

Customers appreciate it when they feel that you are participating in the resolution of the problem. Assuring them they you have the solution and explaining the steps you will take, along with the steps that they should take, will engage the customer to participate in a good outcome. If their problem cannot be fixed, customers need alternatives. Tell them what you can do, not what you can’t.

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Above all, customers want information, not excuses. They called to find out why they experienced a problem and what needs to be done in order to fix it. Excuses are usually offered with the hope that the customer will understand and calm down, but excuses are not helpful. The customer didn’t call to find out who is to blame for their problem, they called to find a solution. Don’t offer excuses, offer help. Assure the customer in positive terms that you can and will help solve their problem.

Remaining in a positive frame of mind is so important when speaking to customers over the phone. You have to work harder because they can’t see your facial expression and you can’t see theirs. You have to listen to their voice and the information they’re giving you. A trick you’ve probably heard, but bears repeating, is that you should smile because customers can hear it in your voice!

The first thing you should do when you are faced with a caller that has a problem is apologize. The customer’s feelings are critical and a sincere apology for the fact that the customer has a problem with your company will go a long way, then, offer sympathy. Why sympathize when you’ve just apologized? Aren’t they almost the same? It is true that they are similar, but there is a very important difference. Apologizing says that you regret the problem occurred. Sympathizing tells the customer that you understand their feelings about it.

Put yourself in the customer’s place. How would you feel if this happened to you? Let the customer know this. Once you’ve soothed your caller’s feelings, accepted responsibility for the call. This is different than accepting responsibility for the problem. More often than not, you are not the one who caused their issue, but you are the one who answered the phone, and by doing so, you’ve already accepted responsibility for the call. End the phone call on a happy note and then go find a way to relieve any pent up stress or frustrating feelings that you may have. Take a brisk walk, make a cup of tea, eat a piece of candy but don’t keep the stress cooped up inside you. If you do, you risk the chance of losing your cool on the next customer, or worse, a coworker or your boss.

Continuing from our last post, here is our list of five remaining customer service rules to follow:

6. Don’t Leave Customers Hanging

  • All communications with customers need to be handled with urgency.
  • Research shows that 95% of dissatisfied customers will do business with a company again if their complaint is resolved on the spot.

7. Always Provide What You Promise

  • Failure to do this is a sure way to lose credibility with your customer.

8. Assume Customers are Telling the Truth

  • The majority of customers don’t like to complain; in fact, they’ll go out of their way to avoid it.

9. Focus on Keeping the Customer, Not on Being “Right”

  • Focus on the quality of the service you are providing rather than just moving the caller off of the line.
  • Research shows that is costs 6 times more to attract a new customer as it does to keep an existing one.

10. Make It Easy

  • Make the customer’s job easy by doing your job well.

There you have it! If there was any doubt in your mind how to properly handle the customer service of your business, you should be all set now. If you missed Part One, go back for a refresher. Have you had the opportunity to problem solve for a customer? What did you do? How did you solve it? Tell us in the comments below!

Problem Solvers: Customer Service Rules, Part I

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There is a quote by the CEO of LL Bean and it goes: “A lot of people have fancy things to say about customer service, but it’s just a day-in, day-out, ongoing, never ending, unremitting, persevering, compassionate type of activity.” I really like this quote because I feel like by the time you get to the word “ongoing” in this sentence, you’ve already begun to feel the doldrums of what it can occasionally be like to work as a Customer Service Representative whose whole day is filled with solving other people’s problems and listening to their complaints. But when you reach the word “compassionate”, it brings you full circle back to the idea that at the heart of every Customer Service Call Center, lies a group of people whose sole purpose is to help you. Those people know there are certain customer service rules that should always be followed.

Recently, I conducted a general training overview for the Customer Service Representatives that work for the Portfolio Companies here at ABG Capital. They all do very different jobs, but their one common and most important attribute, is that they are here to help our customers solve problems. Everything they do, every single day, is directed with one objective in mind: pleasing the customer. Our customer is the one person in our company who has the power to fire everyone who works here, from the CEO on down the line, and he or she can do so simply by spending his or her money elsewhere. Most of the team members who attended the training agreed that it was helpful in refreshing some of the Customer Service skills they’d learned in the past. Many of them took away some new techniques on how to provide truly excellent Customer Service, going above and beyond what is expected, and even how to deal with the occasional difficult caller.

So how do you provide this excellent level of customer care? What do customers really desire? The answers are probably more straightforward than you think. Providing excellent customer service means providing a quality product while satisfying the needs and the wants of the customer. If you can manage to do these two things, you will have a repeat customer. Excellent service results in the continued success of your company, increased profits, higher job satisfaction, and even better teamwork. When your coworkers see you modeling a positive attitude and going above and beyond, it fosters the type of environment where everyone wants to contribute to a high level of service. Good service equals lasting relationships, average service can result in steady customer relationships that could be lost if something better comes along and poor service will almost always result in lost business.

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Here is our list of five rules for providing excellent customer service:

1. Commit to Quality Service

  • Create a positive experience for the customer.
  • Go above and beyond customer expectations.

2. Know Your Products

  • Help win a customer’s trust and confidence.

3. Know Your Customers

  • Tailor your service approach to their needs.
  • Get to the root of customer dissatisfaction by talking to people and understanding complaints.

4. Treat People with Courtesy and Respect

  • Every contact with a customer leaves an impression.
  • Use phrases like “Sorry to keep you waiting,” “Thanks for your order,” “You’re welcome,” and “It’s been a pleasure helping you.”

5. Never Argue with a Customer

  • Be solution focused rather than problem focused.
  • Research shows that 7 out of 10 customers will do business with you again if you resolve a complaint in their favor.

We had some open discussion at the end of our training and heard some great customer service stories. Some stories were about really successful resolutions, some were so funny the whole room was laughing, and some delved into the harder to solve situations and what to do when you’re faced with an irate caller or a problem you can’t fix. As always, we love to hear from our readers, so if you have any customer care tips or a great customer service story, please leave us a comment. In our next blog post, we’ll continue with Part II and give you five more outstanding customer service rules!

The Most Important People You Need In The Workplace

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“You’re only as good as your team.” A quote given by the nine time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins. A quote that may sound pretty straightforward and to the point on the surface is actually a lot more complex than you could imagine. Ask yourself, “How well am I performing?” Whether that question may be aimed towards your personal life in regards to your happiness, health, and family; or in your professional life in relation to your financial success or the overall strength of your company–it all comes down to whom is behind you. So, who are the most important people you need in the workplace?

People you need in the workplace

Who are the people in your life that are raising you up to become and maintain the happy, in shape, mother, father, or partner that you are? It’s important to not only understand the good standing you’re in; but who to thank for turning the often overlooked gears that made you this way.

Maybe you’re not the best you can be. Maybe your company is struggling with sales, keeping client relations strong, or forgetting its overall core values. Are you to blame? Partially, yes. It’s crucial to also realize that who you are made up of as a team often determines the success of the current moment you’re in now. So let’s dive right in and break down the most important qualities that you need in your workplace. We can uncover whether or not these qualities and skills are present, or need to be brought to your team immediately.

Commitment

Believe it or not, your team’s commitment to the overall goal of your company is crucial. An employee committed to achieving his goals and objectives is something magical in and of itself. These team players should be especially valued when times are tough, and when they continue to strive for solutions and refrain from blaming others. A person who is committed to your bigger picture is, in this case, probably the most important person in your office no matter what other skills and strengths they may have.

The Extra Mile

In order to gain your confidence, employees must be willing to go above and beyond what is typically required of them on the job. Employees who take on projects that fall outside their normal responsibilities can expand their skill set and explore new avenues for professional growth. While someone may not always have the time to volunteer for an extra assignment, passing on every opportunity will prevent any particular person in your team from being viewed as a go-to person in the department, as well as a critical cog in your business’ well-oiled success machine.

Communication/Interpersonal

In today’s workplace, communication is the skill of utmost importance. Your employees must have communication skills that allow them to proactively and effectively contribute their thoughts toward the overall proliferation of greatness within your company. An effective communicator leaves no room for error and can exhibit thoughts in a direct manner to make up the solid framework of your team.

Leadership and Creativity

Employees often work together on projects, so some employees must take on the leadership role to ensure deadlines are met, problems are addressed and all ideas are being considered. Meaning that leadership and creativity are also two very strongly needed qualities to have in your workplace. You as the employer often seek employees who have natural leadership skills. In addition, these employees must also have creativity skills so they can find and use solutions for potential problems on tasks, projects, or assignments.

Wear Multiple Hats

Who is the person in your office that shows an eager willingness to get done…well…whatever needs done? Having a person that doesn’t pump the brakes with what’s outside his job description is a huge asset. A person who wears multiple hats in the office is the reason you know if there are any loose ends; if there are, they will be covered.

Passion

When someone believes strongly in you, it makes a difference. You feel his support and you become more confident in yourself and your endeavors. When an employee believes strongly in your company’s mission, his job is no longer a job. It’s a calling. People work harder when they feel connected to and believe in your mission as a leader and the mission of the company. So why wouldn’t you include passionate people in your team?

Who are Your All-Stars?

Hopefully by taking a closer look within your company’s various teams you will find who shines the most and who could use some work. Maybe you’re missing an important quality/person all together who could bring that edge you’re looking for! Whichever the case, you now have a better understanding of the players on your team who are making your business the champion it is today.

What Employees Want: Ways to Keep Your Workforce Engaged and Motivated

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Adulting is hard…How many times has the alarm gone off, and all you wanted to do was roll over and go back to sleep? Pretty much every morning, right? Somehow though we all get up, get ready, and go to work. Besides the obvious; what is it that keeps us all heading in day in and day out? How can employers learn what employees want and how to keep their workforce happy and motivated, and not dreading the next wake up?

One of the major issues facing employers today is how to keep and retain their employees, as well as keeping them motivated and fulfilled. With millennials embarking on their career journey, and with many baby boomers delaying retirement, employers must find ways to entice a multi-generational workplace.

What Do Millennials Want?

Let’s first take a look at the newest members of the workforce; the millennials. As this group (myself included) spreads their wings in the workplace, it is common for them to hop from job to job post-grad. Businessnewsdaily.com explains further:

“Research suggests that today’s college graduates will have a dozen or more jobs by the time they hit their 30s. In an uncertain job environment, it has become societally and culturally okay that they explore. The expectations have changed. Your 20s are used as the time where you actually figure out what you want to do, so the constant job hopping to explore multiple industries is expected.”

Their older, Gen.Y counterparts are out to change the world; but millennials have a different way of doing the changing. They want to feel like they are part of the big picture and are making a difference; if they don’t mesh with the big picture of their employer or feel things are stagnant, millennials will likely move on.

What Makes Baby Boomers Stay?

As millennials enter their careers, baby boomers are continuing at the helms of many businesses; and are extending their time in the work force before retirement. A recent study by AARP finds that 41% of baby boomers have no plans to leave their posts in the near future. There are two major factors that are keeping this group working; the economy and their health. Due to the recession and slow economic growth in the past few years, this generation is staying employed longer to make up for their losses. Though they may have lost in the stock market in the past, for the most part, this group is still healthy and still has much to contribute.

How Do You Make Them All Happy?

The quick and dirty answer is…you don’t. Each person, regardless of their education or generational background, has different needs and wants, and like how mom always says,“you can’t please ’em all.” But, there are several things an employer can do to help improve employee moral, drive, and retention rates.

Recognition

Everyone likes to know that they are doing a good job. That pat on the back lets you know the the work you do is appreciated and can go a long way. For me, this is probably what motivates me most; I aim to please, and want to continue to impress. Letting employees know that they are valued can help increase motivation and decrease the desire to look elsewhere for validation and fulfillment; especially where millennials are concerned. Here are some ideas employers can use to recognize and encourage their workforce:

  • Tell Them! – Sometimes it’s as easy as that, a few words about the good work they did on a project or the passion they show for their work can do wonders.
  • Special Treats – Has an employee been working diligently to complete a big proposal? Recognize their diligence with a special treat like a gift card to their favorite lunch spot, or if your company can swing it, maybe tickets to a special event coming to town.
  • Additional Responsibilities – This may sound counterintuitive, but if you recognize an employee has the skill and drive it takes to complete a certain task, give it to them. Trusting them to leave their “comfort zone,” take on a new challenge, and recognizing their ability to learn and advance can really motivate employees who express the want to grow.

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Interesting Work

I’ve worked a lot of menial repetitive jobs in my day, (in my defense these were high school/college era jobs) and can tell you there is nothing that makes me dread working more, and want to look for an alternative to the monotony, than work that doesn’t interest me. Believe me I know that these “boring” jobs are necessary; but sometimes you need to break up these “uninteresting” tasks and do something more challenging or different. There are many ways to prevent boredom and burn out; here are a few suggestions:

  • Unrelated Work – Is your company big on giving back? Pull one of your employees and have them organize a company fundraiser. Give interested employees the ability to work on a project outside of their daily tasks. It will give them a break from the funk they may be in.
  • Outside Learning – Employees do have interests outside the work they do daily; try sponsoring an “activity night” and get your employees using their brain cells as they work on non-work related projects.

 Keep Them in the Loop

Millennials want to feel like they are part of the bigger picture. Baby boomers need to be reassured that they aren’t being pushed to the wayside as the younger crowd moves in. Keeping employees “in the know” and active in company culture can help avoid employees feeling alienated and detached. Involving employees in activities would be a good way to reinforce company culture and keep them in the loop; these ideas would be a great place to start:

  • Company Activities – Like suggested above, organize an activity in which all employees are invited to take part in; maybe a 5k run/walk. Or, again, if your company can accommodate it, plan an outing and get the team together outside of work.
  • Newsletter/blog – Keep employees updated with key happening in the company by creating an internal newsletter or blog; make it ever more inclusive by letting the employees submit their own content.