THE BIG 6 REVIEW PEOPLE
People Make the Difference You need quality people to provide quality service. Finding them, training them, motivating them and keeping them can be one of the most challenging parts of your job. 1. Finding Good People
service to others. If instead, they say something about helping their family, learning your business, or helping others—they are outwardly focused and probably a better candidate. Ask them what kind of jobs they enjoy. If they have trouble answering the question, chances are they are not committed to providing service. If they talk about jobs where they have to solve problems, fix things, help people, or make things better, your candidate is probably a more service-oriented person. Ask if they have any outside hobbies or interests. If a candidate mentions volunteer work such as helping with youth sports, church activities, or family interests, you can bet they are focused on being a service to others.
In a service business like portable sanitation, personality and character are more important than experience and skill. The skills can be taught, however the determination to always do your best for the customer comes from internal motivation.
Ask them what they do on mornings off. Service-oriented people tend to take care of chores before going off to do things for themselves.
People who are committed to service have a unique psychological profile. But finding them isn’t as hard as you might think. In an interview, you’ll be looking for “service traits” and they aren’t difficult to spot.
Ask, what is their ideal vacation? If it has to do with sitting on a beach or by a pool, they may lack ambition. If they talk about plans to do something active like fishing, camping, or exploring new places chances are that they have some ambition, they like learning new things, and they don’t mind working a little to get what they want.
You aren’t looking for the smartest, most experienced, or most successful individual. Instead, you are looking for people who are selfless, giving, helpful and dedicated. Start an interview by asking them why they want the job. If their immediate reply has something to do with themselves, a new car, a new apartment, etc. there’s nothing wrong with that, however it may indicate they are more interested in themselves than in being a
2. Motivate Employees People have an innate desire to be valued by others. Therefore recognition tends to be one of the strongest motivators. Recognition comes in many forms and is always appreciated if it is deserved and if it is sincere. Superficial recognition is worse than no recognition. A pat on the back is good, but a compliment at a company meeting is better.The important thing is to remember that those whom we supervise want to be valued and recognized for their contributions just as we do. Never miss an opportunity to praise, especially in public.
Another strong motivator is our human need, to be part of a group. Indeed, a major part of anyone’s identity rests with their sense of belonging, whether it's to a family, church or work team. Most people aspire for a real sense of purpose. It is important that all employees know the vision and the values of the company and know they are encouraged to represent these values to the customers. Managers and owners who create an inclusive family atmosphere also create a loyal work force. What should you focus on to improve employee commitment and motivation? According to The United States @Work Study, US companies need to focus on the following key areas: ✔ Businesses should involve employees in planning organizational changes and in building spirit and pride. ✔ Employers should solidify the link between job performance and pay. ✔ Employers should provide increased opportunities for personal growth at work. One way to encourage personal growth is to sponsor training programs and skill certification training such as the program offered by the Portable Sanitation Association International (PSAI). You can find out more at www.psai.org. Training connects directly with productivity. One study in the 1990s indicated a 300% return on investment for employee training. Yet many businesses fail to recognize the importance of continued training. Another common mistake is to train managers or salespeople but not service workers. Smart companies train all employees.
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Winter/Spring 2006 – John Talk 17