A Better Workplace --- Meridian Group's Newsletter, Number 2, 12-17-01

The Holiday Season we are in celebrates the change from darkness to light. The winter solstice ends the darkening days. Longer days signal the new year, life, hope, and birth. Similarly an ending will come to the uncertainty we have all faced since September 11th. Recent events in Afghanistan signal the end of an era and the beginning of possible hope for millions of people there. While uncertainty remains, new hope begins. Here at home most of us have looked anew at what is truly important to us.

As I started writing this newsletter I was thinking about how much has changed since this same time last year. But as I wrote I realized that those feelings came from looking at transient events, not at the unchanging values and qualities that underlie why we do what we do. This newsletter looks at something that has changed and something that has not--an old problem and a new solution, one that is both more humane and more effective. Perhaps the solution is a sign of the times.

Build Relationships and Cut Turnover

With today's rising unemployment the high turnover rates of last year seem to some like a fading memory. But many companies still have high turnover with the same high price tag it has always had. This issue is acute in the retail and service industry where wages are low and many employees see little difference between a job in Wal-Mart and one in Safeway.

Companies, expecting high turnover and low commitment from new employees can cut their financial commitment per potential employee. For example they may sit the prospective employee in front of a self-paced computer-training program to minimize expensive person-to-person face time. The low expectation demonstrated by both sides naturally fulfils itself. Some potential employees actually walk out of the training at mid point, not even making it to the first day on the job. Once on the job the new employee may face a supervisor who thinks, "I'll minimize my time with you because you won't be here long." The result is just what you would expect--high turnover.

How One Company Did It

Here is one company's solution. Our client, a regional retailer knew that it should improve customer relations. Senior management and I agreed on a goal--we would give customers the kind of in-store experience that they would want to repeat--and hopefully repeat often. Focusing like this on the customer's experience redefined the store employee's job. For example the check out clerk's job had been "Check-out the customer." Now it became "Create a satisfying customer experience, and by-the-way, as part of that, check them out."

At a monthly meeting with the store managers we looked closely at the relationship between the employee's experience and the customer's experience. Examining the connection between a good relationship and a good experience the managers came up with many ideas on how to improve relationships with employees. One way to do this was to get to know their employees better as people. They would sit down with their employees one-on-one and have a conversation, largely non-work related.

Meridian calls these conversations "The Interview" or "The Landscape Interview"-or, as some of our clients call them, simply "Meridian's". If you would like more information about this "Interview" click here


Four weeks later the same group met again to discuss what they had done. We went around the room hearing from each manager. One reported that he'd had four new hires after our last meeting and he talked with each one on their first day for about 40 minutes and got to know each of them personally. He met again with each individually the next week for about ten minutes and did the same each of the following two weeks. I was amazed at the response. Leaning forward in their chairs listening intently, the other managers were obviously hearing more than was being said. I asked, "What am I missing?" A manager replied, "He still has the four new employees after four weeks." I asked, "Would you have less?" "Yeah, like none or maybe one." Around the room they all nodded.

It was obvious that those other managers thought the "interview" was an idea they would use. They agreed that not only would it increase retention but would improve the new employee's attitude and probably the attitude of other employees as well. Certainly the customer would experience the benefits of happy, satisfied, and committed employees. As they say, "You care for me and I'll care for you."

Building better relationships and a more satisfying workplace can separate you from other retailers. It is good for morale, for reducing turnover, and improving customer service.

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