Family Honor: Management Trusts Employees

Business.

Retaining employees and customers is a family affair - "the more things change, the more things remain the same. " as e - mail, and technology allow, voice mail people to conduct business without ever seeing each other, the competitive edge can very well be the re - creation of conversation - specifically conversation that allows people to feel a" family" connection. My great - grandfather started a shoe store, the first account Florsheim shoes ever had. It' s a connection that recalls the fact that commerce was traditionally an intimate affair.

Farmers would hook up their horses and trot into York, PA. - in short, business knew its customers and customers trusted that a product or service would be delivered" as promised" . By learning about the customers from his father, my grandfather knew their type of farm, what kind of, their family members shoes they needed. Reineberg' s Shoe Store was known for" fitting feet" not just selling shoes. The same was true of employees. Business was conducted on a family - like connection. Employees TRUSTED that the company would listen to them as if they were members of an extended family.

He also never asked more of others than he asked of himself. - employees knew that my grandfather would value their individuality, understand that personal and business life were connected, and pay a fair wage for a day' s work. Times have changed. However it' s not easy. But it' s not too late to develop family" trust" . Customers abandon companies they do not trust and so do employees.

But improving organizational trust is more difficult and subtler than installing new software. - trust develops over time and can be dashed in an instant. Research conducted by Leonard Berry, author of Discovering the Soul of Service, and professor at Texas A& M concluded that successful companies tend to act like extended families. Enterprise Rent - a - Car and Midwest Express Airlines routinely hold all - hands meetings to answer employee questions, and keep everyone, give awards up to date. They display these" family traits" in five ways: Family Gatherings: These are events designed to share, help, console, celebrate and communicate. It' s rather like the long forgotten family councils, the circle of the tribal elders.

Sessions like" Stump the CEO" are held with prizes given to employees who ask the most difficult questions. - information is freely given and encouraged. One advertising agency holds" HELP! " sessions that can be called whenever a team member needs advice and ideas. And the family member who asked for HELP! walks away with new ideas and insights. The stand - up - and - talk gathering is spur - of - the - moment, brings all hands around, and is over in less than 15 minutes. Family Familiarity: Leaders are accessible, and caring, approachable.

Amazon. com mirrors this on their web site that literally calls a customer by name and outlines suggested purchases based upon the customer' s buying history. - first name - basis becomes the order of the day. How might you move beyond a web connection to create a higher form of conversation? Time clocks are rare. Family Honor: Management trusts employees. Remote work common.

At AES, cross, a utility organization - training is so prevalent that employees trust each other to perform a task when called upon. - at miller sqa, a division of herman miller, factory employees keep their own hours on the honor system. Family Fairness: Pay for performance, promotions from within, evenhandedness and merit - based rewards. This company won a Malcolm Baldridge Award. An example is Custom Research. Only 50 employees could attend a celebration in Florida. Family Fun: Humor is the shortest distance between people.

The organization - from the president down to the clerical - drew names to see who could attend. - families play together. Malaysian Airlines offers dance and music concerts staffed by employees' talent. At SW Airlines, they have ice cream parties on the spur of the moment. The options are endless. The trust test is passed or failed on a daily basis. Customers are also included in" the fun" .

Retaining employees and customers are more likely if retention becomes a family affair.