Employee Science: How to Keep Them Happy

Do you want employees who will stay loyal to your business? What kind of mindset will you instill into them once they are hired? As we all know, a business is only as good as its employees. With retaining happy employees come increased profits, cost-savings, and overall success. According to a Gallup International pool, businesses that were ranked in the top 24 percent of employee engagement had less employees leave their jobs and indications of increased sales. Productivity ties in directly with employee engagement, that is, how well an employee becomes a part of the system.

Like Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”, keeping your employees feeling included is a win-win situation for yourself and for them. For you, it means increased sales, savings, and a higher reputation. For them, it means a bona fide work environment and feeling valued. In order to keep your future employees happy, here are nine ways to do so.

1. Release any stereotypes and treat employees for who they are – Get rid of those negative opinions and see employees as each having their own unique skill set which can contribute to the business. Remember, you want to share a vision with them on the company’s success.
2. Equip your employees for better work performance – This means asking each one individually if they have the proper tools and supplies to function in their jobs. Remember, the marketplace and customer needs are changing all of the time. Shouldn’t the same work for employees as well?
3. Lay out all expectations for your employees – This simply means laying out the groundwork by telling each employee what his responsibilities are in order to increase productivity. Telling them your expectations is highly important.
4. Know your employees individually – Don’t pry too deep into their lives, but show an interest for their welfare and take measures to make them feel more valuable through a pat on the back instead of treating them like a number.
5. Enforce a solid training system – Make sure they’ve been trained to problem solve correctly and manage conflict. This boosts customer service and improves the relationships between their customers and fellow employees while retaining a positive work environment.
6. Ask for employee feedback – Normally, employers do not ask their employees how their business is performing. Employees might have no idea how to answer, but initiating conversation by asking questions like “how can I improve as a supervisor” and “what should be done differently around here to spur more profits” is giving them a sense of inclusion. In his book, Stephen Covey describes a hotel organization where the employees (including housekeepers, janitors, and the like) drafted their own mission statement instead of corporate higher-ups. As a result, employee performance was off the charts and business was booming. Talk about inclusion.
7. Gossip – Is gossip rampant in your unit? Do the employees talk behind the night shift supervisor’s back night and day? Make sure you laugh with and not at someone. Stress the positive things that are occurring in your unit, like increased sales or a record breaking sales day. Keep company stories positive to keep the employees positive.
8. Celebrate your employee’s accomplishments – If a cashier won a perfect score on a Mystery Shopper evaluation, this is grounds for celebration. This propels them to work harder towards long-term goals because rewards can be had.

These and other techniques can be used to keep your employees happy. Without healthy employees, you can watch your franchise unit go down the drain.

• What type of franchise business piques your interest?
• What is your dream as an entrepreneur?
• Do you fantasize about customers rushing to the line, all holding a stack of bills in their outreached hands?
• Can you settle down with a business that deals mainly with other businesses, setting up meetings with honchos from other major companies?
• Do you enjoy working outdoors or working inside the confines of your home?
• Are you a family man? Would you rather have a work-at-home job?
• What are you looking for? A full-time or part-time position?

Keep track of all of your investment resources and jot them down. This means checking what’s in the bank, any liquidable assets, available cash, savings account money, and that secret stash of money you have in that secret account. Can you conjure other funds? If a friend wants to invest $6000 of his money somewhere, now is the time to ask him for it. Check to see if you have any home equity that could be transformed into a loan. When buying a franchise business, a steady stream of funding must come from as many sources as possible. By noting down available resources, this helps narrow down the list of potential franchise opportunities.

After OK’ing franchising as your way to go, how do we go about selecting the right franchise for us? There are over 70 industries with franchise units operating in each, so the selection is near endless. Options abound, and we must evaluate a select few by looking for industries that have growth potential. Make sure your demographic area can accommodate such a business and note its market level. Place phone calls and ask companies for additional information through pamphlets, brochures, a copy of the UFOC (although highly unlikely), etc.

Remember, promotional materials might paint a glossy picture on the franchise, so don’t reply on these. Take initiative and investigate for yourself by reading as much as possible online or offline about the company. Does the company have a sound reputation? Look for the newer business opportunities that have penetrated into the market. Older systems are known for being less flexible with their franchise agreement terms. Never accept promises from franchisers that seem too good to be true. Never select one company because their royalty fees are less than the other. Instead, pick the one with the best vision and the best future. Never be afraid to ask for additional information and perhaps a UFOC if you’re lucky and the company wants to show that to you. Due diligence is the fire that lights the trail to franchise ownership.

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