PRESIDENT’S CORNER – Why You Should Treat Your Employees Like Your Best Customers

BY BILL HUSEBY, PRESIDENT & CEO

BILL HUSEBY, PRESIDENT & CEO

Many companies invest heavily in improving the customer experience but may not think about investing in their own employees. Employees deliver the outstanding customer experiences when they feel valued, welcomed, respected and heard. It’s important to remember that employees are a company’s first and most important “internal” customers.

I have found that success starts with the employee experience. Employees have an understanding of customer project needs and know the project details that are important to customers. If employees believe in a company’s business and its culture, the quality of their work will reflect this. This belief in the company starts by valuing and investing in employees.

“Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.”   -Simon Sinek

Employees can be a company’s greatest brand advocates. If you expect employees to deliver great customer service, you must invest in processes that help them feel trusted and valuable. A focus on creating meaningful employee experiences will result in healthy, engaged employees who provide a competitive advantage. You need an all-star team to design, build, improve and provide the best services to clients. That’s why, at SIGMADESIGN, we are dedicated to growing “by hiring, developing and recognizing the best.” The employee experience is usually shaped by three factors:

1. The physical environment in which an employee works.
2. The support and tools available to the employee.
3. The employer’s interest in the well-being and success of employees.

Physical Environment

Gym at SIGMADESIGN

Employees spend a great deal of their time at work. It should be a pleasant place to be. Simply by engaging with employees, you can understand what is important to them. At SIGMADESIGN, we ask employees for feedback on how to improve our facilities and make it a better place to work. We also have personnel dedicated to continual facility improvements. We’ve improved gathering spaces, added a gym and continue to evolve our environment so that employees enjoy the place they work.

Support and Tools

Employees thrive when they have support and tools to improve. SIGMADESIGN provides a variety of programs that assist in employees’ professional development. These include customized training classes for project management, communication, technical and industry specific software training. Additional support is provided with continuing education benefits through which employees can improve job-related functions that are particularly interesting to them.

“Grow by hiring, developing and recognizing the best.”  –SIGMADESIGN

Well-being

When you show employees that you sincerely care about their well-being, they are more engaged at work. Employees want to be treated as human beings. They have feelings, emotions and personal lives. When employees are facing personal issues (illness, family crisis or bereavement) – it’s time to be understanding and empathetic. At SIGMADESIGN, we value family and taking care of personal concerns.

When employees are consistently treated well and as a valued part of the team, they respond by giving their best. Always be quick to recognize and reward the efforts and contributions of employees. Nothing says we value you like showing how much you appreciate them.

Best,

Bill