As globalization brings competitors from across the world closer and closer together, it is no longer about “lowest price always wins,” nor is it about “best marketing campaign always wins.” Growing any business successfully is only accomplished by attaining and retaining clients. This brings me to my first question: What has the single biggest impact on client experience? The answer: Your employees. To peel the onion back further, one would then have to ask, What has the single biggest impact on employees? The answer: Leaders and Managers.

Happy employees = Happy clients…

Keeping your staff happy keeps them engaged. That brings me to the next question: How do leaders elevate employee engagement? The answer: A leader’s trust is the number one driver of “employee engagement” hence, the well known quote: “people join companies but stay because of their boss.”

So, what is the real role of a leader? A large part of any people leader’s mandate is to create enthusiasm and loyalty. Those two qualities elevate employee experience.

Eight simple questions you can ask of your staff to validate if you are creating loyalty.

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
3. In the last 7 days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
4. Does my leader care about me as a person?
5. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
6. At work, do my opinions count?
7. Do I have a best friend at work?
8. In the last 6 months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

Nine specific To-Do’s for all People Leaders to elevate employee engagement?

1. Provide Purpose – Make The World A Better Place
2. Inspire Vision – Always earning the right to be your staff’s leader
3. Empower People Whenever You Can
4. Instil Values
5. Listen – don’t tell others what to do
6. Care About Others – Great Servants
7. Collaborate/Build Teamwork
8. Set Tough But Realistic Goals
9. Change transformation

In the end, why would a customer give you their business if when comparing companies you have similar products of similar quality and at similar prices? It is the front-line staff that make all the difference. The solution to elevating sales and revenue is not marketing driven, it is people driven. Spend development budgets in the right places.