Employee satisfaction as the key to customer enthusiasm
In today's business world, it is clear that employee satisfaction is the driving force behind enthusiastic customers. From my keynote at the HR Festival, I would like to give you a deeper insight into this fascinating connection.
Employees as brand ambassadors
Let's start with a fundamental insight: satisfied employees are not only part of the team, but also the best ambassadors for a brand. Studies have shown that 82% of German employees consider a good workplace culture to be important for their satisfaction. But what makes them go forward with this enthusiasm? A welcoming workplace atmosphere, recognition, opportunities for personal development and a balance between work life and personal time are a few of the key factors.
On the other hand, less than 30% of employees worldwide are engaged and satisfied with their work. If we focus only on the DACH region, the figures show that 63% of employees in Germany are dissatisfied with their salary, 67% in Austria and 58% in Switzerland.
But salary is not the only factor that can influence employee satisfaction. Here are some other important factors:
Empathy in the workplace
Empathy is not a buzzword, but an essential building block for a successful working environment. However, according to a survey, only 47% of German employees feel valued, compared to 43% in Austria and 45% in Switzerland. Employees don't just want to be heard, they want to be understood. They long for a place where their concerns and needs are taken seriously, whether on a professional or personal level.
Innovation through employee engagement
Innovative strength develops best in an environment of psychological security. Studies show that employees are happier when there is investment in their development and training. Employees need the freedom to be creative, as well as incentives and rewards to spark their desire to experiment. Because at the end of the day, it is the teamwork that makes a company successful. It should be noted that employees do not always necessarily develop "upwards". The classic, traditional career path no longer appeals to everyone these days. It is much more common for employees to want to develop in other directions and change departments. That's why lateral entrants with a diverse skillset are so much in demand these days. After all, diverse experience is the basic nourishment for successful companies.
Building long-term relationships
How can talented employees be retained by the company in the long term? Through meaningful work, flexibility, a sense of belonging, continuous development opportunities and, above all, a culture of mutual appreciation. However, it is equally important to clearly recognize what should be avoided - from rigid career paths to overwork.
It is important to understand that the relationship between company and employee does not end with the so-called "offboarding", i.e. leaving the company. Because beyond the working relationship, (former) employees can shine a bright light on your company and thus potentially acquire new customers or gain new employees.
The words of Tony Hsieh, the visionary entrepreneur, ring particularly true in this context: "The customer experience will never be better than the employee experience. Customer service shouldn't just be a department, it should be the whole company."
In a world of constant change, it is more important than ever to recognize the importance of a positive employee experience - not just for HR, but for the entire company.