Today, I had the fun privilege of talking with my fave Workplace adviser, columnist Liz Ryan of the Human Workplace about how to make a work situation work for humans! Bonus: we said ‘Bullshit’ a few times.
Move over robots, it IS the era of humans.
You can’t have great customer service and happy customers, when employees aren’t working to their fullest, happiest potential. So all great customer service starts with employee happiness, and that means treating them as whole people – not job descriptions or “assets.” Your employees are your greatest brand champions. There is no sound wall separating the internal and external worlds. The stories employees tell internally are the same ones customers will hear about.
Corporate structures of the early 20 century don’t work today. While some workplaces are innovative; others stifle innovation and human ingenuity. Employees want meaningful work, they want to be respect, they want flexibility, and they want human workplaces. If employees aren’t treated well, they can’t take care of customers well. It is that simple. Get human or go home!
A Few Characteristics of a Fully Human Workplace
1) Truth-telling is valued
2) Human job descriptions
3) Hierarchy is outdated
4) Policies that kill innovation are gone
Listen to the podcast below and pass it on!
What do you think makes a human workplace? Let us know!
