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genetic markers
I have a client named Andrew who owns a manufacturing company in New Jersey with approximately 75 employees. From what I’ve heard, his turnover is low and morale is pretty high.
Does he pay his employees more? That was not the case, even though his salary and benefit package were competitive in his area.
Does he do anything special for his employees, such as delivering lunches, making a fuss on birthdays, encouraging social events? Of course, he’s pretty good at that, too. He is also very good at allowing employees to work from home when feasible and being flexible to accommodate holiday and childcare needs.
All of these are great ways to keep your employees happy. But that’s not the main reason why Andrew’s employees are so motivated to do their jobs or why his turnover is so low.
The real reason: Andrew doesn’t have an office.
To be clear, he does have an office. This is where he keeps his stuff. He sometimes uses the office for private meetings or phone calls. But Andrew learned something important a few years ago, when his office was under construction and he was forced to look for another location. So he sat somewhere else. He got an empty table next to the customer service team. What happened next really opened his eyes.
“In the month I sat there, I learned more about my employees and my customers than I had in 10 years,” he told me. “Sitting there, I’m part of the team, not just the boss.”
During that month, Andrew listened to the conversations and pitched his ideas. He is able to make suggestions and help coach the sales reps around him, which in turn helps them better provide answers to customers and even suggest new products to sell them. He helps them do their jobs better. This makes them happier and more motivated to do better for him.
Andrew became human. He is not the “corner office boss.” He is Andrew. He became a friend (but not too friendly, as that is a challenge as a manager), not only did he better understand the work his employees were performing, but he also provided ways to help them do it better, and Feel better about what they do.
He also got to know them personally. People like to work with others. Owners are people too. Andrew learned this. So do his employees.
When his office was completed, Andrew moved to the production floor.
He found another desk in the production team area and worked outside for a month. Because that location was at the back of the factory, he was often walking around the floor and chatting. He noticed that the inventory was not moving. He pointed to potential safety concerns. He acknowledged his daughter’s graduation and wedding anniversary. He expressed condolences on death and congratulations on birth.
Then he moved to the sales floor. Then he hung out with the accounting team. After that, it was back to customer service. Went around again. It has been like this for almost three years now.
“When you run a business, you focus on the important things like deals, contracts and client meetings, but I lost sight of the most important thing: my people,” Andrew said. “I found that I was becoming a puppet and people had no incentive to work for a puppet.”
As a CPA, I have been working with small business owners for over 20 years. I’ve seen advisors and counselors recommend different forms of compensation, vacation plans, health insurance strategies, and workplace events, all with the goal of improving culture, boosting morale, and attracting, retaining, and motivating employees.
None of this advice is necessarily bad. But one thing I learned from Andrew is that people are motivated when they feel their work is meaningful. In a small business, the only person who can convey this meaning is the owner of the business.
Some of my clients who compete with large companies for talent don’t realize this. They think it’s all about the paycheck. But Andrew is an example of a business owner who successfully inspired his employees simply by being present and working with them.
• genetic markers is a CPA, owns and operates The Marks Group PC, and is an expert in customer relationship management technology.
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