Page 257 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

244B RE-ENGAGE

most basic—survival, or money, then moves up to recognition, then
up to meaning and mission at the highest point. We try to satisfy all
the rungs on the pyramid.

Re-Engaging in Turbulent Times by Valuing Employee
Contributions

Against a tide of negativity, uncertainty, rumors, and worry,
one of your most powerful weapons is the time and effort
you spend letting employees know how much they are
valued, especially those who are stepping up their efforts
to meet the threats and challenges the organization is
facing. Here are some specific ways to send that message:

: Listen more than ever to employees’ ideas and concerns.
Then take action to demonstrate that you weren’t just
pretending to care.
: Show how much you value your employees by continu-
ing to invest in them with training and mentoring, so they
will be able to capitalize on new opportunities as difficult
times pass.
: Recognize and reward employees who go above and be-
yond and make sacrifices for the good of the company.
: Challenge all supervisors to notice and appreciate all
employee contributions. This may require that you first
step up your efforts to recognize the supervisors them-
selves. Spread the word about customer success stories.
In times when bad news spreads like wildfire, good news
is the only way to really fight it.
: Advocate strongly for fixing the pay system if it’s broken.
Perceptions of internal pay inequity and lack of competi-