Sharlyn J. Lauby's Blog, page 85

Technology: Do Not Let Your Company Become Obsolete

While you know that I love my technology, there are some activities that I enjoy doing what some might term “old school”. Like I enjoy having a paper planner. I take handwritten notes during conferences. Some might say that I’m behind the times. Others will cite the research that says writing things down helps with retention. Frankly, I like it and it works for me. That’s what counts. And I’m not the only one. Do a quick internet search for paper planners and you will see there’s a whole market out there for people just like me.

But whether people are buying paper planners isn’t the point
of today’s article. This Time Well
Spent from our friends at Kronos
reminded me that there’s a fine line between doing the things we’ve always done
them and staying relevant.

Today’s technologies can take our work to the next level. Using my story above about paper planners, let me add that I don’t keep my calendar in a paper planner. I use an online calendar. It’s easier to manage appointments and very flexible when I need to make changes (which is a lot). When we’re talking about organizational processes such as payroll, it could make a lot of sense to automate them – even though they’re working – because the result is more productivity.

Our stakeholders expect technology. Again, we’re not saying that manual processes are bad or wrong. But in today’s business world, our key stakeholders (i.e. customers, suppliers, employees) expect us to have certain processes automated. They’ve become accustomed to it and not having technologies in place could signal an organization that’s behind the times. This could have an impact on the company’s ability to hire the best talent and retain customers.

It’s easier to bridge short gaps than long ones. The longer organizations (and individuals) wait to adopt technologies, the harder it becomes to get up to speed. Implementing new technologies isn’t supposed to be painful. What can often contribute to frustration is when employees are forced to learn by drinking through the firehose (versus in baby steps). Sorry for all of the analogies there but you see my point. It’s easier to learn and retain incrementally.

I’d like to think at this point we’re not having a
discussion about whether technology is a trend. It’s here to stay and it’s
moving at light speed. And, I completely understand if organizations don’t want
to be early adopters. But that doesn’t mean the answer is staying in the Dark
Ages. Organizations need to examine their current processes – even the ones
that are working well – and ask themselves, “Can we do better?”

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5 Ways Strategic HR Can Bring Business Value

(Editor’s Note: Today’s post is brought to you
by our friends at Paycom, a leading
provider of cloud-based human capital management software. They were recently
recognized by Glassdoor with an Employees’ Choice Award as one of the best
large-sized companies in the U.S. Congrats
to them! Enjoy the article.)

According to the
Bureau of National Affairs, employee
turnover is costing U.S. businesses an estimated $11B in lost revenue. It’s probably not a surprise that
turnover is expensive. What might be surprising is how expensive turnover can
be. And while HR departments are traditionally responsible for calculating
turnover rate, they are not typically responsible for that result.

Statistics like turnover
are both a strategic imperative for the business and an opportunity for HR. We
have an obligation not only to share the numbers but lead the discussion about
employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. We’re considered to be the
resident experts in these areas, and we
can use our expertise to bring value to the bottom-line. Here are five activities to consider
using when we want our ideas to be heard.

5 Activities to
Demonstrate Strategic HR

1. Understand the business. We often use a PESTLE analysis to gain insights about the business. PESTLE being an acronym for political, economic, social, technology, legal, and environmental. Why not use the information we discover during PESTLE to build a business case for your ideas.

Let’s take the
turnover example that I mentioned above. What if part of the challenge is that
organizations have too many technology solutions that aren’t speaking to each
other? Employees are doing double (or triple!) the work? Paycom has a “Cost
of Multiple HRIS Systems” calculator that can help put those numbers together. We
know employees today want a technology experience that mirrors the one they
have in their personal lives. Businesses need to ask themselves whether they
are delivering an excellent employee experience.

2. Speak your company’s “love language”.  Author Gary Chapman’s 5 Love Languages concept says to effectively express yourself, you must understand how others receive and process information. The business application of Chapman’s book is know your audience. This ties into first activity about understanding the business. Once we know what’s going on, then we can refer to problems and solutions in the same context as other managers and executives.

The time to make sure
every employee is speaking the same language is during orientation and onboarding.
When I worked at the airline, we gave new employees a glossary. The industry
was full of jargon! I left a company where AP meant accounts payable and went
to a company where AP represented airframe and powerplant mechanic. Big
difference!! Think about the
cost of your onboarding program and how speaking the same language adds value.  

3. Think “how”. I believe the way to create high performance is by having a BHAG (big hairy audacious goal). Everyone agrees on the goal and works together toward achieving that goal. But frankly, organizations aren’t going to achieve their goals if they spend more time talking about what they can’t do (versus what they can do). It reminds me of an employment attorney who, whenever I called with a question would ask, “What do you want to do?”. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of the time, we could do what we wanted to do.

In thinking about
employee recruiting and retention, this might also be a good time to discuss whether
the organization would have a better chance of success if a technology solution
was able to reduce
the amount of manual processes currently in place? How can we create an employee
experience that makes people want to stay?

4. Support customer-friendly policies. In number three (above), we talked about solutions. It’s important to note that the answer to every problem isn’t to create a new policy. In fact, I think the more time I spend in HR, the more I think the first question organizations need to ask is “Do we need a policy or procedure about that?” because I wonder how many organizations might answer “not really”.

But if after thinking
really hard about it, the answer is “yes”, then by all means…write a policy. Sometimes
there’s a cost to noncompliance. However, it is possible to be compliant and
customer-friendly at the same time. It takes understanding the business (see
number one). HR pros are in a perfect position to guide the organization on
this point.

5. Solve the people problems that impact the business. Readers of this blog know that I love metrics. Over time, I’ve come to realize that there are stages when we need to use people analytics to gather the right data and create actionable results. Like when we’re trying to help the business find and retain the best talent.

This is ultimately our
goal. HR’s strategic role is to help the organization solve their people
challenges. Because when we do, that benefits the bottom-line. The first rule
of solving business problems is to get buy-in. Not only from senior management
but from employees. For example, we’ve been talking about using
technology to improve the employee experience (and reduce turnover). Well, if
employees don’t buy-into the solution…then the problem didn’t really get
solved.

Bring Your Strategic HR Value!

I didn’t want today’s
article to be one of those typical “human resources professionals need to bring
value to the business” articles. Everyone who works for the company – including
HR – needs to bring value. I did want to share some ways that everyone –
including HR – can bring strategic value. They’re good reminders no matter
where you are in your career.

And I wanted to share
with you the Paycom calculators. I know many HR pros are looking for
opportunities to quantify what they already know anecdotally. I find that this could
be a great resource.

If you’d like to learn more about how human resources can bring more strategic value to the business, check out this Paycom webinar recording “Discover What Strategic HR Can Do for Your Organization”. It is pre-approved for one professional development credit (PDC) from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Paycom in Oklahoma City, OK  

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Company Culture, Employee Engagement and the Employee Experience Are All Related

I know that many people are simply sick and tired of the
culture and engagement conversation. I’m hoping today isn’t one of those days.

Culture and engagement are important. We all know this. I’m not saying that your company culture must be all sunshine and roses. Thinking back on my career, some of the best work experiences I’ve ever had were at companies that were tough. We worked hard. We had plenty of challenges. But we had an incredible sense of team. Everyone was in it to succeed.

That’s the point. Creating culture isn’t about creating
rainbows and unicorns. It’s about defining a culture that everyone is
comfortable with and unapologetic for. Then marketing it. There will be
employees and candidates who are attracted to your culture.

As your organization is going through the exercise of
defining their culture, here are a few articles that might be helpful:

Company
Culture Needs to Get Employees Through the Hard Times

Company culture helps shape organizations and their people.
Employees want to know that their company supports them in good times and bad.

Company
Culture: Tell Employees They Own It

Company culture drives employee engagement, retention and
recruiting. Communicate to employee that they own culture. And they can grow
it.

Of course, the reason that all this talk about company
culture is important is employee engagement and the employee experience. Your
definition of culture paints the picture. Having clear alignment between
company culture and the employee experience will determine if employees are
going to engage and stay with the company.

3
Reasons Your Organization Should Focus on the Employee Experience

Employee experience is a key business concern. Recruiting
and retention is tied to it. Here are the 3 primary reasons why employee
experience matters.

Organizations:
Are You Creating a Swipe Left Employee Experience

The phrase swipe left equates with discarding something for
better options. Optimizing the employee experience helps employees want to
stay.

Employee
Experience Must Mirror the Customer Experience

Employee experience is important for recruiting and
retention. Job candidates can develop expectations based on their experience as
a customer.

5
Factors That Influence Company Culture and The Employee Experience

Company culture and the employee experience are key areas of
business focus. Here are 5 areas where businesses can influence company
culture.

Engagement
or Connection: Why the Connected Workplace Might Be Better

Having a connected workplace may be better than engagement.
Corel shows how team, task and technology come together to form a connected
workforce.

Employee
Engagement: Employees Want to Be Recognized for Their Hard Work

Employee engagement includes employee recognition.
Management recognition is also important. But peer to peer recognition may mean
even more.

If employees didn’t know it before, they are becoming very
aware that it’s a candidate’s market. And they’re not afraid of hard work but
they want to be treated right. I’m amazed at the number of employees that I
interact with who talk about how terrible their companies are. I’m a customer!
At some point, these employees are going to say “Enough! I’m outta here.” It
won’t take them long to find a new job.

Company culture, employee engagement, and the employee experience are related. And they’re important. Business leaders might not always like these conversations. But, we need to own them!

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV

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Celebrate Your Organizational Successes

(Editor’s Note: Today’s article is brought to you
by  our friends at Kronos ,
a leading provider of workforce management and human capital management cloud
solutions. Kronos was recently recognized as North
America Company of the Year for their innovative Workforce
Dimensions solution. Many congrats to them. Enjoy the article!)

I know the holiday season is behind us, but I couldn’t
resist sharing this Time Well Spent
from our friends at Kronos. It’s a great
reminder that organizations need to celebrate their successes. Even for the activities
that we do annually – like filing taxes, counting inventory, or open
enrollment.

I also want to add that it’s equally important for managers
and HR departments to celebrate too. We regularly talk about how necessary it
is to recognize employees for a job well done. The same applies to HR and
management. We’re often so busy taking care of employees that we forget about
ourselves.

In addition to employee celebrations, create
opportunities for management teams and HR teams to celebrate. I’ve worked
for organizations that hosted a quarterly manager outing and occasionally a
happy hour. I’ve also worked places where we shut down HR for a two-hour lunch.
Employees were totally cool with it. In fact, I believe employees liked seeing
that the company practices recognition at every level. It made everyone feel
good about the work they were doing.

Make celebrations fair and appropriate. What I mean
by this is don’t have one set of standards for how employees should celebrate
and another for management. It will not set the right tone. In addition, keep
the celebration proportional to the accomplishment. For example,
accomplishing a relatively small goal might warrant a pizza party but a fancy
dinner at an expensive restaurant could be too much. But it should still be
celebrated!

Celebrate responsibly. I have absolutely nothing
against celebrating with adult beverages. And in the media, we hear about companies
breaking open a bottle of champagne to celebrate getting a big contract. But
there’s a time and a place for celebrating. Anyone who indulges needs to be
responsible. In addition, the company needs to make sure that, if they are
allowing celebrations at work they do not turn into inappropriate situations.
If you have questions, reach out to your friendly neighborhood labor attorney
about the risks.

The point is to give employees, managers, and the company’s
HR department a way to enjoy their successes. It allows everyone in the
organization to see that the company is accomplishing their goals (even if they
weren’t directly involved in them). It shows everyone in the company that when
you do good work, the
team gets to celebrate.

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3 Ways HR Pros Can Use People Analytics to Help the Bottom Line

Organizations are regularly faced with a variety of challenges.
Right now, many are faced with finding and retaining the best talent. Some
companies might be experiencing a slump in sales. Some organizations are
finding that a new technology is disrupting their market. Regardless of what
challenge the organization is facing, HR and the rest of the senior management
team are being asked to help develop and implement solutions.

Saying “come up with a solution” and actually doing it are
two totally different things. Coming up with solutions is hard. I’ve always
found that the best way to problem-solve and determine the best path forward is
with good data. Now, I must admit that I’ve always considered myself a numbers
person. I like math. And I’ve always worked for companies that placed a lot of
value on knowing the numbers. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to pursue
the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) People Analytics Specialty
Credential (aka the PASC).

If you’re not aware, the program to earn the PASC has three
parts: 1) complete
SHRM’s People Analytics Seminar, which is available in-person and virtually.
2) participate in three eLearning modules on metrics, foundational data, and
data analysis. And 3) successfully pass a 50-question multiple choice exam. You
can learn more about the
specialty credentialing process on the SHRM website.

But, back to my point about using data to solve problems. One
of my biggest takeaways in my work and the PASC experience was drawing the
distinction between metrics, talent analytics, and people analytics. While we
might have a tendency to use these terms interchangeably in the workplace (and
I have many times), understanding how they are different can help us bring the
right ideas and solutions to the table.

Metrics are a quantifiable measurement that is used to track and assess the status of a process. Common HR metrics include cost per hire, time to fill, and turnover rate.

Talent analytics include metrics, but they also include data related to human resources activities. An example of talent analytics might be analyzing stay interviews, exit interviews, and turnover data to predict which sales employees are a flight risk.

People analytics takes talent analytics one step further. It makes the connection between talent analytics and the business. For instance, a people analytics project could involve studying the hiring process and attrition trends for sales employees to determine a retention strategy.

People analytics is about using the data and our reasoning
abilities to make business decisions. It’s about asking a lot of questions.
What is the organization currently doing? What does the organization want to
accomplish? And finally, how do we get from the current state to the desired
state?

During the process of earning my People Analytics Specialty
Credential, I walked away remembering that people analytics isn’t simply an
exercise with the numbers. Analytics is about being curious. It’s about
searching for answers. As human resources professionals, we do many of
activities associated the people analytics on a daily basis. But we all know
that the more we focus on problem-solving, research, and finding answers the
better we get at it. That’s what the PASC program does for us. It gives us a
people analytics framework that we can immediately use on the job.

The good news for businesses today is we can solve problems and propose solutions using data, metrics, and analytics. Much of the information we need can be gathered using existing technology. Human resources professionals need to be prepared to lead their organizations through the process using sound reasoning and a consistent framework.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV

SHRM logo used with permission.

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Workplace Wellbeing: How Organizations and Employees Can Work Together

A key component of workplace culture is wellbeing. Employees
want to know that their work environment contributes to their wellbeing (versus
taking away from it). I’m not talking about the occasional stressful day when
we’re faced with a big deadline. Wellbeing is about employees feeling both
physically and mentally healthy about their relationship with work as
well as their co-workers, their boss, and the company in general.

That’s a pretty tall order when it comes to wellbeing
efforts. As I read more about wellbeing, I’m realizing that wellbeing isn’t
simply a company program put together by the human resources department. Yes,
wellbeing is about the organization and its policies. But it’s also about the
employee and their work habits.

For wellbeing efforts to be successful and have an impact,
both organizations and employees need to work together. Here are seven articles
that can help both individuals and organizations focus on making wellbeing a
win for all.

Worrying
Is a Symptom of Employee Stress [infographic]

Worrying has been identified as a symptom of employee
stress. Supportive management and comprehensive benefits programs provide a psychologically
safe place.

Employee
Burnout: 5 Organizational Programs That Can Reduce It

Employee burnout is a key workplace concern today. Turnover
can hurt business success. Learn five proven programs to help reduce employee
burnout.

How
to Talk About Psychological Safety in Your Organization

Psychological safety helps employees take risks and grow.
Association for Talent Development (ATD) shares tips for discussing psychological
safety at work.

The
Next Employee Challenge: Loneliness in the Workplace

Loneliness is the new employee challenge. In the book Back
to Human, author Dan Schawbel shows that managers must work to develop a
connected and engaged culture.

You
Can’t Tell Your Employees to Unplug If You Don’t Do It Yourself

Unplug from technology – that’s the recommendation from
managers to stressed employees. Here are three things to consider if you want
to unplug.

Workism:
Employees Need to Understand the Role of Work in Their Lives

Workism is not the same as being a workaholic. Employees
need to have a healthy relationship with work. Business culture can help them
understand.

Employees
Need to Figure Out Their Workstyle

Workstyle is all about how we want to work. Employee engagement
comes from within each of us. Employees need to figure out their workstyle.

Employees and organizations are under a lot of constant
pressure to perform at a high level. And let’s face it, today’s news can often be
overwhelming and stressful. We need to take care of ourselves. Because the
healthier we are, the better we perform. Both at work and at home.

Organizations want employees to be at their best. It helps them deliver results. We have to view wellbeing as a partnership. It’s time to start working together to make the work environment a positive contributor to wellbeing.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby after speaking at the SHRM Annual Conference in Washington, DC

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Bookmark This! Encore Career Edition

As organizations continue to be challenged
with finding qualified applicants, individuals are also going through their own
challenges. The Boomer generation is facing the challenge of “What do I want to
be when I grow up?” On the surface, it might sound funny. But the reality is
that many workers are asking themselves “Is this the job I want to do for the
rest of my life?” If not, the answer is often known as an encore career. 

Think of an encore career as a second career. But to have a successful second career, you’ve got to plan for it. The good news is, at this stage, we already have some career experience. Here are ten articles that you might find interesting about these careers and how to find the right one for you.

What’s
an Encore Career and Why You Might Want One

Second careers may offer many solutions in retirement. But we have to plan carefully and choose wisely. To start, learn what encore careers really are.

Encore
Careers Can Offer Independence

Second careers may offer the independence you need for a successful and fulfilling retirement. With proper planning, we can benefit from a second career.

4
Ways to Find a Thriving Encore Career

Second careers should be rewarding, interesting and fun! But AARP says don’t cling to a dying profession. Here are 4 ways to find thriving second careers.

Figuring
Out What to Pursue as an Encore Career

Your second career path should be carefully planned because you don’t just want to just take any job. You still want to enjoy your work and be fulfilling.

A
Career Coach Can Help You Find Your Encore Career

In the gig economy, a second career can be a big part of unretirement. Career Sherpa Hannah Morgan shows the value of a career coach in finding your gig.

How
to Apply Your Transferrable Skills Toward an Encore Career

A second career will require specific skills to be successful. Here are steps you can take to help apply your transferable skills to a second career.

Journal
Your Encore Career Experience

Second careers can offer freedom and success in retirement. Document your second career path in a journal to identify what works well and future plans.

Using
Volunteerism to Find Your Dream Job

Second careers can be an important part of retirement planning. But how do you start? Volunteerism could be a good way to get started in your encore career.

Minternship:
Is it the Secret to Encore Career Success?

A minternship is an internship for people in their middle career stage. This may be applied to those in later stages who want to pursue a second career.

5
Steps for Finding Your Encore Career

A second career is something to consider as part of your retirement strategy. Start the conversation early to plan for your future unretirement.

Don’t think of today’s article as something only individuals pondering an encore career should pay attention to. Organizations that are struggling to find and keep talent might want to help employees with the transition to their second career. Not only does it help the employee, but it helps fill the candidate pipeline.

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Should I Become a Generalist or Specialist – Ask #HR Bartender

After my article about “Generalist
or Specialist: Which is Better”, I received this note.

Hi Sharlyn! I read your article on specialists versus generalists and wanted to say thanks for sharing. I’m on the fence about what I’d like to do in my next stage of my career. Do I want to specialize? If so, what should I do? I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into something that I might regret. I would like to focus on organizational development, training, coaching, and career development but don’t really know where to begin. Any suggestions?

I wish I could say there’s an easy answer. There’s not. And
it’s something everyone has to figure out on their own. The good news is that
there are LOTS of resources you can use to figure out what’s best for you. Here
are six to get you started:

1. 3 Strategies for Achieving Your Career Goals

Career is everything for many of us. We work tirelessly to develop ourselves and our career. Capella University shows us 3 proven strategies to achieve career goals.

2. Using an HR Career Portfolio to Develop Your Skills

In her new book, author Debra Cohen PhD talks about creating a career portfolio for HR competency development. Whether a generalist or specialist, it can be practical and flexible.

3. Future of Work: How Organizations Can Support Career Lattices

Career
lattices are another option to the tradition career ladder. Organizations
should be flexible and offer both for employee success.

4. Recruiters Must Learn Talent Development (and vice versa)

Talent
development includes everything from career management to succession planning.
No wonder it’s strongly connected to recruiting.

5. Professional Development for Learning and Performance Professionals

A career in learning and performance can be exciting and rewarding. Here are several resources to help with learning and performance career development.

6. Choosing the Best HR Certification

Certification
is one way for HR professionals to stand out. Especially when competing for
great jobs. Here is a list to consider when choosing the best HR certification.

There’s one other thing that I believe is important to remember when it comes to the decision about generalist or specialist. There’s no rule that says once you decide, you can’t change your mind. In fact, it might be something to consider as part of your career development plans. Does it make sense to intentionally plan to specialize at some point then become a generalist? Or vice versa – be a generalist for a while then specialize? The good news is that whatever you decide after some careful thought, it will be the right thing for you.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the Herman Miller Design Center in Miami Beach, FL

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Use #HR Predictions As the Foundation for Your Talent Strategy

I really like prediction season. You know, that time of year from November to January when people talk about the talent trends they’ve been seeing and how they anticipate those trends playing out over the upcoming year.

Sometimes I agree with the predictions and sometimes I
don’t. What I like about reading them is they make me think. They force me to
start formulating an opinion. And if I don’t feel like I have enough
information, then I have to start doing my own research. For me, predictions
aren’t simply some list.

Regular readers of HR Bartender know that I’m a part of  The
Workforce Institute at Kronos Incorporated. We’re a think tank that helps
organizations drive performance by addressing human capital management issues.
One of the things that we do annually is put together a list of predictions
that will impact the workforce. The 2020 list came out a few weeks ago, and I
will admit that some of them are not going to be a surprise –
like employee wellness and family leave. But a couple of them might surprise
you such as organizations finding ways to handle political discourse and
activism in the workplace. I hope you’ll take the time to check
out the entire list on The Workforce Institute blog.

Of course, one of the biggest trends facing the workplace
today is talent. How to find employees, create engagement and retention. I was
recently a part of a Workforce Institute podcast on “Preparing
Your Workforce for the Future of Work”. This conversation also includes Martin
Armstrong, vice president of payroll shared services for Charter Communication;
Alexandra Levit, author of the book “Humanity
Works: Merging Technologies and People for the Workforce of the Future”;
and Joyce Maroney, executive director of The Workforce Institute”. During our
conversation, we talk about talent development, organizational agility, and the
role technology can play in employee upskilling and reskilling. I think you
will find the session interesting and, as a bonus – it’s eligible for SHRM and
HRCI recertification credits.

Another activity The Workforce Institute takes on is publishing books. The latest is called “Being Present: A Practical Guide for Transforming the Employee Experience of Your Frontline Workforce”. This is the fourth book from the group and the second one I’ve been a part of. In “Being Present”, I wrote a chapter on performance management and some of the talent trends I’ve been seeing when it comes to annual performance reviews. I hope you’ll check it out. In fact, you can get a free digital copy of “Being Present” by clicking through on this link and entering the password FREEBOOK. I hope you’ll download the book and share it with your colleagues.

Finally, one last thing about predictions, trends, and the future of work. The Workforce Institute is hosting a TweetChat tomorrow (Monday, February 10, 2020) at 12 noon. We’ll be talking (tweeting) about our predications and talent trends. I realize its last minute but hope you can carve out a few moments to join us. It should be fun and educational.

2020 is already starting out to be a challenging and exciting year for human resources. That’s not a bad thing. We really are positioned to bring huge value and impact to the business. But we need strong data and good information to make it happen.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring Duval Street in Key West, FL

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Staffing Shortages Are Not a Customer Service Excuse

I’m here to deliver some tough love to businesses today. As
a HR pro, I totally understand that the recruitment market is tough. I hear the
same stories from recruiters who are posting job openings and getting zero
responses.

I also understand the pressure to deliver revenue and
profits. Whether you’re in the public or private sector, for profit or
not-for-profit, there’s an expectation that the financial goals of the
organization will be met.

Today’s Time Well Spent from our friends at Kronos reminded me that organizations have an obligation to their customers and stakeholders. That obligation includes deliving excellent customer service. Even when they’re scrambling after an employee calls out unexpectedly.

Deliver on your organizational promises. While I will admit it’s a delight when companies under promise and over deliver, my expectation is that companies will deliver what they promised. So, if the company says, “You’ll get your order on Thursday.” Then, I expect to get my order on Thursday. And if for some reason the order isn’t going to arrive on Thursday, then contact the customer and explain when they will get their order.

Use technology for what it does best. I’m not even talking about artificial intelligence or machine learning here. Organizations can use technology for routine tasks and free employees up to take care of customers. I recently went to a store to return something and the customer service agent said they couldn’t accept my return because they didn’t have ink in their printer. That just blew my mind. An organization with revenues over $500 billion and they can’t buy printer ink? Give employees the technology tools to take care of the customer.

Re-evaluate your recruiting strategy. If your organization is having a tough time delivering good customer service because you simply don’t have enough employees, then look at your recruiting strategies. Organizations might want to consider phased retirement strategies to keep older workers longer. Companies can also look at creating attractive part-time opportunities. And there’s always building a strong contingent workforce to help during peak times.

Organizations cannot use “We don’t have enough employees.” as an excuse for poor customer service. Especially if they also want to charge top dollar for their product or service. Companies that figure out how to maintain an engaged workforce are going to realize the true benefit of customer loyalty.

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