Thank you. They are just two little words with the power to transform your business. It may not seem like much but you might be surprised at how often this simple civility is overlooked in a range of situations – in person, on email, over the phone.
If you’re guilty, maybe the close of the financial year is the opportunity to start the new year afresh; by acknowledging those people who no doubt had to work double to meet accounting and payment deadlines and the many others whose efforts contributed to a positive year end balance sheet.
Workplace satisfaction is an issue that can’t be ignored by any employer though of course every individual will be motivated by different factors. Financial reward is a given but being acknowledged for effort or a job well done is every bit as powerful as what is in the pay packet.
And if you want improved performance to meet your business goals in the coming year a motivated and happy workforce is essential. One group that is easy to overlook are the contractors and suppliers who, while not strictly on the payroll, play a vital role in the functioning of the business.
In the new world of work, the ability to be flexible and agile is largely due to the growing numbers of consultants and contractors that can be called upon whenever you need to gear up or to cover specialist skills that you don’t have within your permanent work team. Contractors often choose freelance over paid employment as a trade-off for freedom over security, allowing them to pick and choose where they work. It’s important to remember that if you want their loyalty and dedication, they too need the same level of acknowledgement as your permanent team.
Real estate couldn’t function without the contribution of suppliers. And while you might think it’s enough to pay them for the job they’ve been contracted to perform, there will be many times when you need them to go over and above to help meet a tight deadline.
Over the past year, Richardson & Wrench has opened a number of new offices; three of them were large and required a changeover on extremely tight deadlines. We’ve maintained good relationships with our suppliers so when we needed their help – and fast – they were more than willing to pull out all stops to assist.
The down payment in goodwill had been paid in instalments over many years of remembering to say thank you.