The title of this blog, Valuing People, is one of the 12 Character Commitments at Etech Global Services, and I would venture to say that Valuing People is one of, if not the most, important of our 12 Character traits. Why? Because people matter. It’s that simple. People need to feel that they are heard, that their opinions matter, that they are given opportunities, that their managers have confidence in them, they need to feel affirmed in their work, they need encouragement, they need to feel that they matter.
Some may be wondering, “How can valuing people be most important? What about profits, productivity etc.?” That’s a fair question and my years of experience have taught me that profits and productivity grow and thrive when the people who work with me are happy. For some reading this, this may be a very fresh perspective, and for others, this may be old news. Whichever is the case for you, permit me to share what I’ve learned as I’ve strived to implement this in my day to day dealings with employees.
I’ve learned that people need to……
Feel that they are heard and their opinions matter: Because there is nothing worse than feeling that you’ve been dismissed. Nothing can make a person feel more rejected than when they feel, be it perceived or real, that their feelings or opinion have been completely dismissed by another. I’ve seen both sides of this. I’ve seen how people can feel completely dejected when having their point of view dismissed and then I’ve seen how appreciated they feel when they know they’ve been heard, truly heard and that their opinion or feelings have been valued. When an employee feels dismissed and dejected, they seem to lose all motivation for their job. An employee lacking motivation can become toxic in the workplace. They tend to lose a sense of pride in their work, they don’t pull their weight, which frustrates co-workers and they continue in a downward spiral which often leads to a reprimand or dismissal. On the other hand, I’ve seen how employees can soar to new heights, feel energized in their day to day tasks, and take immeasurable pride in their jobs simply because a manager took the time to hear them out and made them feel valued by listening. Now obviously, as managers, we can’t implement every opinion and idea that comes our way, but we can take the time to listen when an employee needs us. When we do this, our employees work harder, they motivate one another, they take pride in their work and this keeps productivity at a peak. Valuing people’s feelings matters.
Be given opportunities: When people are given opportunities to grow and better themselves, within an organization, this breeds loyalty to that organization. At Etech Global Services, we do our very best to promote from within our current ranks. We provide on-going training to our employees so that they can strengthen and improve their skill set for their particular job. We have a Learning and Development program which identifies future leaders and prepares them for leadership positions within Etech. Over 90% of our current leadership team began their careers at Etech. In fact, our Vice President started as a Customer Service Rep while he was in college. Giving our employees opportunities like this allows us to retain a highly trained and experienced workforce that knows the company from the ground up. This type of workforce is INVALUABLE to productivity and profitability. That’s not why we offer these growth opportunities, but it is a positive result of doing so. We offer opportunities because we believe people deserve them and that people will step up and take opportunities when they’re available. Offering growth opportunities makes people feel valued.
Feel their leaders have confidence in them and are encouraged by them: “A confident workforce is a productive workforce. Employees who have confidence in their own ability to get the job done are motivated and more likely to work through initial setbacks.” I came across this quote in a recent article posted by Chron. This struck a chord with me because I’ve seen this to be proven true time and time again. When employees have confidence and believe in themselves, they feel empowered to tackle the tasks at hand. Productivity increases. Think about it; think about a time when someone showed tremendous confidence in you, perhaps as a young student or athlete. Do you remember how that felt? Do you remember how that inspired you to work harder, how you enjoyed that class or sport more because the coach or teacher had such confidence in you? Their affirmation fostered a confidence that enabled you to succeed. The same holds true in the workforce. When employees feel affirmed and are confident in their abilities they work harder and productivity increases. I’ve also found that confidence is contagious. Confident people tend to encourage and affirm others and this has a profound impact on productivity as well as corporate culture. Building confidence in others makes them feel valued and benefits everyone.
Valuing People. This is something we consistently strive to do at Etech Global Services. It provides the foundation for all of the other Character Commitments we esteem because it constantly reminds us that it’s always about people.
This blog entry is the second in a series based on the Etech Global Services 12 Character Commitments. It was written by Matt Rocco, President and General Manager of Etech Global Services. If you would like to learn more about Etech and contact center technology and service solutions, please contact us at info@etechgs.com.
