3 steps to improved employee appreciation

Making sure employees stay hydrated in the summer heat is one way to show you care. Getty Images: GreenPimp/E+

If you’ve been following this column, you’re armed with proven tips to steer your ship with new tools and an altered mindset. You’re actively navigating toward success. September is an excellent time to focus on your crew.

Are you hearing words like “burnout” and “burnt out”? Are your employees calling off more frequently? Are you over-the-top frustrated because you have so much work to do and are struggling to catch up?

Summer in the pest industry tends to be long. Phones are ringing with new opportunities and existing customer issues. It’s hot! Technician schedules are full. Hiring seems impossible.

With your focus on caring for your customers, are you caring for your No. 1 customer: your employees?

When you take care of your employees, they take care of you by caring for your paying customers. Skimp on employee care and your company will suffer. See how closely you’re following these recommend steps:

1. Live your culture. Employees stay at companies that have a great culture. If you’re hiring right, you’re hiring to your company culture. It must remain a strong focal point daily. Here’s how to do it:

• Ensure your employees see the big picture of where the company is going, what’s in it for them when company goals are achieved, and how they play into the company’s success.
• Make sure your employees know what success looks like in their positions, and how their positions impact the company’s goals.

Sheri Spencer Bachman, ACE

2. Be supportive. You must remain willing to help your employees when they need it. While some help will be on an as-needed or as-things-arise basis, you can proactively create a self-sustaining support system:

• Create and implement systems for all employees to follow. This makes their job easier because they know what is expected, how to do it, and where to find the details versus constantly feeling like they’re asking bothersome questions.
• Create a scorecard for each employee to track their performance. Everyone naturally wants to succeed and improve. Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) gives employees satisfaction when they achieve their company goals.

3. Show continuous appreciation. Recognizing your employees’ hard work is critical to business success. You can let them know you care in a couple of ways:

• A thank-you goes a long way.
• Actions speak even louder than words, so provide unexpected “treats” to show appreciation. These can look like company cookouts, prizes or gift cards for reaching company goals. See “The Game Plan” below for more ideas.

Everyone needs to feel appreciated, and appreciation shows your employees they are a part of something bigger than themselves. Show your appreciation every day. Make them a part of the bigger picture.

The Game Plan

One of the most powerful ways to show employee appreciation is to provide for work-related needs, such as:

• Large thermoses to keep hydration in company vehicles.
• Sports drinks to keep staff hydrated and replace electrolytes as they sweat in the summer heat.
• Hats employees can wear that keep them cooler when they are outdoors.
• Moisture-wicking shirts that dry quickly when sweating.