Organisations are beginning to realise that their most important customers are actually their own employees, writes Cindy Goldwing. Dedicated, engaged employees can make a business prosper by building customer loyalty. On the other hand, uninspired, disengaged employees can wreak havoc on the business, often without the employer's knowledge.

Engaged employees work hard to build strong relations with the customers by learning their names, relating to the customers in a genuine manner, remembering personal information and product preferences, and taking ownership of their particular piece of the business.

Disengaged employees often force or hurry through interactions with the customers, provide inadequate or incomplete service, complain in front of the customers, and fail to put forth anything but the minimal effort.

Employee disengagement can be the result of several different factors, however attention needs to be focused on what is often the main culprit; poor relationships between the front-line staff and the supervisors and managers. What can create poor relationships between front-line staff and management?

The cause usually comes from a "disconnect" between the senior leaders of the organisation and the operational managers and supervisors. Senior leaders are focused on the financial success of the business, and rightfully so. However, sole focus on financial success can place pressure on the operational management team that directly affects their leadership priorities.

When the management staff is pressured to be solely results orientated, they often overlook their most vital assets, their employees. Front-line staff can become a means to an end, instead of active participants in the company's financial well-being.

The crucial first step is to evaluate each member of the management team to determine his or her level of engagement. If any member of the operational management team is not engaged, then they need to be the first focus as it will be very difficult to inspire loyalty and engagement in the frontline staff if their operational leaders are not engaged themselves.

The crucial next step is to define how can the management staff improve the engagement of their employees? That step involves taking a step back and asking questions, both as a group and as individuals

• What role does the front-line employee truly play in the overall success of the business?
• What message is sent to the front-line employees regarding their role and importance within the organisation?
• Is the organisation top heavy, but running the front-line employees thin in order to increase profitability?
• Are the operating managers being given the right message regarding their priorities?
• Is the management team elitist within the organisation or do they know the front-line employees by name?
• Are they committed to the overall success of the business or to their paycheck?
• Do they actively care about the well being and development of their staff, or is the staff just a means to an end?
• Do they communicate openly and honestly with the rest of the team, including their subordinates or do they sit on the fence?
• Do they set clear goals and expectations for the staff?
• Do they actively listen and respond to their employees?
• Do they praise in public and criticize in private?
• Do they take responsibility for their actions and decisions, even when wrong?
• Do they lead by example or force?

Honest reflection and communication is essential, as well as a commitment towards improving employee engagement, as that responsibility for engaging employees falls on the shoulders of every supervisor, manager, and business owner.

Once a commitment is made to improving the engagement of the employees, then all levels must work together to ensure success. The leaders within the organisation must truly become leaders, working together to ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal, outstanding service and fully engaged employees that take pride and ownership in their jobs, effectively increasing profitability for the company.

Cindy Goldwing is a freelance writer specializing in management-based articles. For customized work or additional articles please visit: http://courtneyfreelance.com/

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