Last week, I was given the wonderful opportunity to talk with a group of young men who work at a grocery store. They were enthusiastic kids, happy to be earning spending money over the summer. I’ve found that it’s eye opening to hear the perspective of the youngest segment of the working population. Everything is new to them.
At the store where these teens worked, employees are instructed to politely refuse tips from customers. “Sometimes a customer will offer us a dollar when we help them bag their groceries or lift something heavy into their car. We thank them but we don‘t take the money,” one of them shared.
I asked, “Have you ever been tempted to accept a tip?”?
There was a moment of silence then one boy confessed, “I took a tip yesterday. A lady came up to me in the parking lot. She told me she had short term memory loss and had no idea where she was parked. She asked me to help her find her car. It took such a long time to find it. We went from one side of the parking lot to the other, but I finally spotted it for her. She was so happy. She pulled out $5 and gave it to me. It was $5! That‘s a lot of money. I have to work almost an hour to make that much. I had to take it. “?
The other boys seemed to agree with his logic. Hmm . . . it can be tough for employees making minimum wage to see the value of turning down a big tip. I personally believe it isn’t an age issue; employees of all ages can struggle with following procedures. Part of the problem comes from a “do it because I say so “? company attitude to which employees don ‘t relate. It’s much more productive to help your staff understand the reasons for your company policies.
Employees are much more likely to take ownership of a “company rule” when they understand it – how it makes a difference and how it impacts the business, the customers and themselves. They need training in order to see the situation from the appropriate perspective.
I recommend that you begin by helping them see things from the customer ‘s point of view: “When you politely decline a tip, the customer feels extra special. They feel like you helped them because you really wanted to help them. They know that if they have a heavy item that would be difficult to handle, our store offers help at no charge. They feel taken care of which makes them feel good about spending their money at our store, instead of with our competitors. “?
Another effective way to increase compliance to policies is to help employees see things from the company ‘s perspective. Here’s an example of an explanation that might make a difference:
“We want our customers to choose our store over all of their other options. To stand out, we provide service that other stores don ‘t provide. When our employees follow this policy, the store has happier more loyal customers. Happier customers are more pleasant to work with. They refer our store to their friends and family. More business means more financial success. And more financial success means we can pay our employees better wages and provide better working conditions. “?
When employees understand the impact of following procedures, they become more empowered. They aren ‘t asked to follow meaningless procedures that makes no sense to them. They see that their actions have meaning and make a difference.
An added benefit for businesses in discussing policies with employees in meetings and via email? In the process of explaining company procedures, you can encourage your employees to give you feedback and suggestions to help refine and improve any outdated or ineffective policies. And – bonus – it’s natural to be more committed to policies that you helped develop.
What do you think?
Are there any policies at your company that employees routinely “forget” to follow? What can you do this week to help them understand the value and impact of following the procedures you’ve put in place?
Posted on www.whosyourgladys.com by Marilyn Suttle
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