Building loyalty requires creating value in the very fabric of your business – excellent products supported by dedicated, trustworthy, sincere team members.

The effort to build loyalty among your employees is even more important than customer loyalty. What instills loyalty?

Make (and keep) promises.
Be the example you are seeking. Communicate honestly with employees. Praise and reward good work. If there are problems that need to be solved, make sure employees know you support them.

Be available.
Be the person who is there until the problem is solved or the job is done. Engage with your employees. Address every employee by name. Take a sincere interest in their welfare.

Provide options.
Henry Ford offered only black cars, but today people expect choices. The options you may offer are as varied as the employees you work with. Choices give people a sense of control. Remote work? Flexible hours? The opportunity to work on new projects?  The opportunity to receive training in areas where they’d like to grow.

Give people a voice.
Listen, listen, listen, and respond with respect. Address concerns, ask for input.  People will appreciate that you don’t gloss over their issues.

Keep people informed.
People want to be kept in the loop. They enjoy receiving news about new projects and new people. Instead of merely assigning tasks, let everyone know about new opportunities and innovations. People who value you want to see you succeed and will step up when there’s work to be done.

Honor commitments.
A guarantee may be what convinces a new customer to do business with you. An offer of more responsibility or the opportunity to do more of what they love can excite employees. When a product or opportunity doesn’t work out, you must figure out how to make it right – your honor is at stake. Think of it as an opportunity to delight and build loyalty.

According to Exude, compensation and benefits are the 10th reason why people stay on a job. People today are looking for trust, integrity, and culture. When you can key in on what is important to an employee, they’ll return that investment in spades.

Most of these suggestions take only your time and effort. Creating a sense of loyalty through authentic, open conversations will last far longer than going for token raises, cheap freebies, and brief encounters.

What’s your plan to develop, and engage your most valuable asset, your team?

The road is easier together,

Linda Laitala, President
Raven Performance Group