Leadership Lessons Blog

Leadership Lessons: Treating Employees Like Customers

The key to success, according to Senior VP of Human Resources for Wegman's Grocery Stores is to treat employees like customers.  In a recent survey sent out to 37,000 employees, 33,000 employees answered the survey.  When employees were asked, "Does Management Know what it is doing?"  96% of employees responded positively.  For the past 12 consecutive years, Wegman's has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Comapnies to Work for, ranking No. 1 in 2005.  One of the key factors in Wegman's success has to do with its mission and vision for the company.  Much of the vision centers around the employee and the employee contribution.  By empowering employees, they feel a closer connection with revenue production and success.  "For example, if a customer desire something not on the shelves, any employee can set about procuring the item for the customer.  As a result, many employees genuinely like their jobs and often speak well of the company." Members of the HR team practice management by walking around and continue to be employee advocates.  Most members of the Wegman's management team make a point of visiting stores and thanking employees for their contributions.  One employee who left the company to pusue a job in the Peace Corp had this to say, "Thank you for all the people who make Wegmans the beautiful place that it is.  I care, and that is partly because of all the people I met at Wegmans...Wegmans has been my anchor, my friend, my teacher." 

Leadership Lessons for the New Employee!

New Employees can make a decision about your company in a matter of days or hours in a new job.  As a leader you need to know that during the first 60-90 days of employment can lead new personnel to look for a new job within the year.  So how do you ensure that this doesn't happen. 

1. Make sure you contact the person as soon has they have accepted the position.  Offer to answer questions or provide help.
2. Designate a partner or a mentor for the new employee.  Make sure that you outline the mentors responsibilities.  If the mentor is responsible for training, introducing the employee to other people, escorting them to lunch...ensure that the employee feels as though they have a soft place to land.
3. Make sure the work are is ready for the new employee.  Starting a new job is both anxiety producing and difficult.  New employees want to feel they have a clean slate and that starts with a clean and productive work area.  Your job as a leader is to ensure that this happens.
4. Make sure the person knows what the basics of the job will be.  What are the minimum expecations they need to understand their job.  If you start the person off on the right foot and you don't overwhelm them with too much, too soon, they are more likely to be successful. 
5. Make sure you vary how you are going to orient the new employee.  Some employees are visual learners, some employees are hands-on learners.  Some learn best by studying information on their own and asking you questions. Ensure that you provide that diversity in learning. 

The value of mentoring for business success!

Should a company have a formal mentoring program?  I've found that mentoring is probably the single-most important activity to be involved in...both as a mentor to others and as a mentee to others.  Growing within an organization always requires seeking solutions, options and other ways of getting to solutions in different ways.  Most of us are discerning enough to recognize those people in our organizations who have the skills that we lack. 

If we want the mentor/mentee relationship to work, companies often need to identify a "cheerleader" not necessarily the CEO, but someone in upper management that can act as a sponsor for the program.  Mentors and Mentees need to be trained on how to be good at both jobs. 

Mentoring programs can be viewed as a low cost company benefit especially if the mentor/mentee relationship is project or skill-based training.  Here are some questions to consider before you consider a mentoring program for your company.

1. Do you have support from top executives & management support.
2. Do you have the time and resources.
3. Is your organizational climate  healthy (hiring, people interested in learning/developing).
4. Is informal mentoring already happening:  coaching, job sharing etc.
5. Do you have some specific goals in mind for the mentoring effort.
6. Do potential mentors/mentees have time to meet and work on development activity.

Call us to see how we might help you establish a mentoring program for your company.