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Innovative Rewards: Creative Ways to Reward Your Employees · Business Roundtable

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All right, everybody, here we go another episode of the Business Roundtable podcast.
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We're excited here. We're actually at the end of May, coming up
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here in June in twenty twenty four. As that you're listening along, following
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us along. My name is David Carr Stewart. Your business where I help
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organizations and their teams, you know, come to come together to accomplish great
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things. That's really my passion and so to do that and one of the
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things I brought some great hosts here tonight, returning hosts Bill Hatch Welcome Bill
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back to the podcast. Thank you, David, absolutely, and we've got
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Doc c back well, thank you for getting inviting me back. I love
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it, glad to be here. Yeah, absolutely, we're we're going to
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jump in because we've talked about a related topic here. We've talked about company
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culture. Docsy's got his great book, Winning Culture. You haven't listened to
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that podcast, go check it out. We've talked gift giving last end of
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last year, going into holiday season, and you know, we've talked about
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uh, employees in company culture a lot. So I thought it would be
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good, uh because I've been working with some clients and we're talking about performance
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reviews and ways to recognize employees, and so I thought, hey, let's
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have Bill here in doxy on let's talk about creative ways that we can recognize
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and give back to employees, recognize your team and and and how important that
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is. And so you know, I'll maybe just start with you, doc
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c on this. I mean, just this idea of being intentional in recognizing
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your team. And we're gonna get in some ways of traditional and creative ways,
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but just just from that understanding of how to how to recognize your team,
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and just speak to that, doc Cee. In your experience with different
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businesses, working with different sure, I mean there's there's several ways of actually
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doing it, and ones, of course, uh monetarily, I mean you
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you can actually motivate people through the dollar. I mean the other is given
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them equity positions in the company. And as we talked earlier before we even
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got on here is you know what I'm seeing now is even in the private
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sector is contracts for not just upper management but employees as well. And built
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into those contracts are of course what you just say, performance indicators. And
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and I'm sure that it's I'm sure it's a complicated contract, but it's each
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employee and and you like competition, but at the same time, what's the
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ultimate goal as a private company is to make money, and that's that's it.
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I mean, we we like to try to smooth over all these other
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things, but the bottom line is if you're not making money, you're not
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going to have a job, period. And I think everybody understands that.
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And so if everybody understands that, and you just start to put in these
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performance packages with your employees, not everybody's driven by the dollars, but yet
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an equity position. Technically those are dollars and I and I like equity positions
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for sure, But I think contracts are coming down the pipeline for private industries,
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not just public you know, public yes, as you mentioned, you
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heard about that, but private companies. I think that that's where they're heading
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to for sure. Well, well, definitely want to dive more into into
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that as we go in the conversation. Uh tonight, how about you,
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Belle, what's been your experience with you know, just employee recognition. Why
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is that important? Why? Why? Why? You know? I seem
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self explanatory, but sometimes sometimes it's not there in businesses right, Well,
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it's important because it helps drive performance, specific performance that is, you know,
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it's uh, we're so many of us are familiar with the way that
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that sports contracts get done, you know, so and so on on such
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and such football team like Chris Jones on the Kansas City Chiefs gets a bonus
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because he sacks the quarterback so many times. And uh and I remember seeing
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seeing the celebration on the field when you hit that number. It was pretty
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funny. But you know, and you know, so so the well and
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I hate the term giving back because unless you've taken unfairly from an employee,
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you're not really giving back at adding to how about that adding to or just
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given you know. But but yeah, we want to uh to drive performance.
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We want to incentivize certain behaviors. And so so we put we put
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money or things on the table, and the big thing is is what is
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it that's driving the person? And uh, you know, when you know,
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the big question is is if it's not cash but a thing, you
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know, whether whether it be uh, you know, concert tickets or or
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or a trip or or something, then you know you have to you have
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to be very careful to really know this person what is the experience that that's
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going to drive them. I mean, you know, if you if you
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gave me tickets to go and do some kind of some kind of like a
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zip line tour Branson or something, you probably wouldn't excite me because I can't
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do that. But but yeah, you know, a lot of my experiences
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with the with the with the incentives, it has been in cash. You
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know, in the auto industry, you know, sell so many cars,
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get this, gets this amount of cash, sell somebody, okay, you
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know sell uh. Oh, there were there were a couple of of of
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runs they wanted. You know, it's like sell one, use one new
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and uh and and do one lease and get this much or or things like
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that. Some of them were just fun and uh you know, and it
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got people excited because you know, cash, cash is still king even in
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the the world of experience. Well, we're gonna get dig We're gonna diget
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a little bit more into Spith because we got Heather here as well. She
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was on our Health and Wellness episode Welcome back Heather. Uh and you know
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we're we're Heather. We're just we as Heather just jumped in. So those
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of you are watching us UH on YouTube. You'll actually see Heather those are
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listening, you know, she just joined us. Heather. You know,
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we're just talking about the importance of employee recognition in that company and and what
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why you just start as a starting point on the podcast, and what's been
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your what's been your experience with you know, seeing that or lack thereof,
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if you're not being intentional about a company not recognize your employees. You know,
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I think that when employees don't feel appreciated, it shows in their work,
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It shows in their attitude, it shows in vocabulary, it shows in
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their tone. I mean, the bottom line is, anytime you have an
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employee, they're essentially providing a service for their employer, right and especially in
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America, we have a history of not appreciating those people who are in the
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service industry, and that goes all the way into the employment and employee situation.
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I found that when you back dr floes, when supported them, you
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know, and at a girl and at a boy will go a long way.
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Happy employees will continue to try to perform and do the best of their
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ability. Sprinald employees we will not, in fact, some will sabotage the
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entire environment there's my opening thoughts. Well, we're glad to have you here,
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Heather, because this this this this episode is just really targeted on ways
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that week, whether we can add to or create a better working relationship from
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employer to employees. We have a lot of business owners or potential potentially.
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You're a manager managing a team, and so you're answering these questions about how
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how what can I do to make their lives better and and enhance them and
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like you said, Heather, be more productive, be more engaged. And
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so I want to maybe just you know, go through come of brainstorm with
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you all a little list and I'll come maybe with docs. So you've mentioned
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a few of these already, but just let's just go through a little bit
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of there's the traditional ones I think we're pretty familiar with, but maybe there's
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some creative ones we haven't talked about, and so let's just compare a little
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bit of those and think about there's pros and cons I think to these and
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how we can recognize folks. So I'll just start with one that I've been
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in the industry. So I've been in the environmental consulting industry for many years
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and work with them and a lot of things. Of course, like you
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said, Doccy, money you know, direct money is one thing, but
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a lot a lot of times, especially those that are new into the field.
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They're out of college, but they need practical skills either get working toward
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getting a license or a permit. And so when the employer puts funds toward
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identifying that that need that service, and like hey, look I will help
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you get there. I will help I will equip you, I will invest
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money into paying going for the course, allowing you to take time off for
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example. Those are some creative ways I've seen versus just paying a bonus or
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a raise. But Doxy, what have some what you know? Either what
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have you seen some either traditional or creative ways that business owners have been able
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to, uh, you know, give give back or add to their employees
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experience. Well, not to directly answer your question, but I wanted to.
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I liked what Heather was talking about it. What's interesting, especially a
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small business and the small businesses you know that are five hundred K revenue up
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to two million, is what I'm talking about. What's interesting is that they
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look at two numbers on their income statement. Two numbers they look at their
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net, and then they look at their wages those two and and they think
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that they need to do something about the wages to affect the net, which
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is not the way to look at things, because they look at it as
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a liability instead of an asset. And it's the most fascinating thing. And
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you know, it had their touched on that a little bit about that,
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and I just remembered that in working with a lot of these smaller businesses,
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that that's what they look at when they look at the numbers, and they
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should bypass that, not even they shouldn't even look at that number. That's
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really an asset, not a liability. But that's how they that's how they
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start to try to cut the cost factor because in order to improve your ballot
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sheet and improve your you know, you've got to increase revenue and decrease cost.
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That's how your bottom line kind of changes in the overlook. But don't
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look at your workers. And so, uh, that's I wanted to point
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that out right now, that's a great mindset shift. Yeah, you really
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have to change that. You have to change that whole thought process because as
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Bill mintioned earlier too, and Heather, you missed a little bit about that.
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You know mentioned is that you know, you have to really focus in
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on what is what is growing your company? Your assets. Your assets are
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growing your company, So that's great. I love that. Growing your business
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your liabilities, Yeah, mic Drop Heather, Yeah, I mean that.
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No, I mean honestly backing us up, Docy. That's really important.
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So I would pose that question anybody's listening here, what's your what's your what's
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your mindset? Is you, like you just said, doc, as you're
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thinking about that, are you looking at your because if you are looking at
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your employees as a liability, then yes, you're going to probably not want
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to think creative. You do not even want to think anything to give them.
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You're like, how can I reduce that that? You know, David,
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you're one thing real quick. And I don't mean to say please go
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ahead, because a lot of these business owners they will not directly say that
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to you, but but when they're talking, you know that their body language
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and what they're saying, what they're talking about, they it's it's really fascinating
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listening to them and and really it's they're not alike. They're the absolute asset
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that it's what makes your company. Yeah. Period, uh, and so
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now I you know, I just want to throw that out there and and
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now we can actually build on that. But the people that are that that
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was huge. I appreciate that's what we have around that. I love that.
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Heather, Yeah, yeah, I do. I love it, you
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know, so and just you know, David knows me. You guys,
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don't, I get kind of excited. So, yeah, Heather's got so
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much energy. Was on a health and wellness episode with Stacey. We talked
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about and this is related about how do we help our employees be health healthy
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physically, mentally, emotionally. We're creating a great space for them and doxy
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to your point if you're not saying it, but do you believe if you,
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like I said, you have that mindset. I'm sure your employees feel
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it somehow some ways. It's no questioning through you know. I mean,
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And we wouldn't have this, we wouldn't be having this kind of conversation if
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they didn't, they fall because that's why we're here. We're trying to build
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a better, better companies for everybody. And to do that is we have
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to recognize some of the some of the negative thoughts that we have as business
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owners or management. And because everybody's trying to cut cut costs, I understand.
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But where you cut costs, I don't believe it should be in your
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workforce your employees, unless of course you have you know, a bad employee
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or whatever. But there's other ways that you can actually cut costs for short.
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Yeah. Absolutely, So when you think about that, you're actually going
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to be hopefully multiplying. When you're pouring into your employees and coming out from
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that place of abundance like I want to I want to give more so that
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they can essentially make more and bring more value. Uh, it's just it's
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hopefully a self fulfilling Uh. You know, you're you're you're pouring in and
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and and then they're going to receive that and then multiply that. How about
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you, Bill, what whate have been experiences with kind of either traditional or
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creative ways you mentioned a little bit earlier, like maybe creative and there's good
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creative and maybe creative that you know, having you go on that zip line,
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maybe that that wasn't the creative that we were looking for. Yeah,
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yeah, okay, yeah, I get that now. But you know,
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to to Dawn's point, one of the things I've had people do in the
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past, is to you think about, uh, the the employees not just
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like assets, but specifically like customers, like a form of customer, and
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you want them to do a specific action and uh and perform for the company.
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And uh. And you wouldn't yell at a customer, at least I
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assume you wouldn't. I've only seen that once and that was an experience.
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But uh, but yeah, and so why would you be yelling at an
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employee, you know, why would you come down hard on on an employee?
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Treat them like they're going to be bringing you money because that's what they're
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doing. Yes, they are. They are bringing you cash on a platter,
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and uh, and you need to treat them that way, you know.
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But uh, you know, I also had a note about so that
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that you need to be careful about fairly compensating the employees and not having these
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bonuses or incentives be part of the salary. You know, it's it's not
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it's not productive because what you're gonna find is somebody else is going to give
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them fair compensation and they're gonna jump vote because they're gonna get bonuses too.
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A bonus should be a bonus. It should be in addition to not you
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know, like unfortunately in many part of parts of the com many parts of
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the US, UH, waiters and waitresses wait staff get paid these ridiculously low
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wages in the hopes that they're going to get tips to make up the difference.
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And it's not not in California, which is one of the one of
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the good one of the few good things for employees in California right now.
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But but yeah, and uh, and I use that as an example because
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I went out deep lunch today and had to tip you the waitress. But
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you know, these things should be in addition to and you need to make
18:08
sure to fairly compensate your employees and uh, and not treat bonuses and incentives
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like like a part of the salary. Otherwise you end up with a with
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a with a national Lampoon's Christmas vacation situation. Right. Well, I think
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this goes to what Curtis was talking about at the beginning, like if you
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know, if you get your into a contract, then where there's incentive and
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you're saying we're both parties are agreeing and entering into that, right Curtis,
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absolutely, yeah, absolutely that That's that's what I was referring to, because
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then once you have once you have a contract and and both parties understand the
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contract, then you can bring them in. If and I could say Bill
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or David or Heather, look, this is in your contract. You said
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that you were going to be here at eight am, and you're going to
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do this, this, this, whatever it is that we decide on.
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And you're not you're not fulfilling your responsibility, then you can actually go to
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plan be yor I see. But at least if they have a contract,
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you have a performance as an employee and I'm going to get paid in X
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amount of dollars and my contracts is for five years, so you know,
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after five years, I'm going to have another contract, you know, or
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whatever. And I think that that's where things are headed. Like I said,
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Heather, you missed when I was talking earlier. But what I'm seeing
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a lot of these private businesses are putting together contracts for their employees, not
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just their upper management. And it's kind of news. It's a new new
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thing that I haven't seen, but I like it. I like them.
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It's because now if I'm an employee, I have a contract and I have
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a contract to work with this company for five years, and I'm going to
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work my tail off to even to get another five year extensions you know or
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whatever. Yeah, go Aheather, I should say. You know. The
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other thing I love about that is if you've got a contract, your expectations,
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your responsibilities are probably well defined and outlined. So you're getting paid for
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delivery of what you say you're going to do, not necessarily a minute by
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minute time clock issue. Right, getting paid for the value that you bring
20:42
in. If you happen to be a fast worker and you deliver sooner than
20:45
others, lucky you. Right, if you come across problems and it takes
20:52
you extra time, the bottom line is you've agreed to do and you're going
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to do X, just like you said. Because there's even without bonuses,
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there's that incentive that you're going to have another contract, you're going to continue
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that job. Unfortunate. I've seen that because my dad's been taking contract after
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contract for many years. But I think the other thing too is simple that
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we're in a whole new age. I mean, things have changed drastically COVID.
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COVID didn't just rock our journalists field. It rocked the entire world.
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I mean it literally has has changed the entire trajectory of everything, and business
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is a great example of that. Right. Yeah, I believe that when
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people are paid for the value they bring, they provide more value and they
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feel more valuable. Valuable, right, And I think that it's highly important,
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you know, to have their back as an employee. You know the
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adage that the customer is always right. I've never I've never agreed to that.
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I think it's ridiculous. The customer is not always right. And when
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we cow down and bow down to bad customers, and we heard on our
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employees in the process, even if they're on a contract level, they're not
22:30
going to even want another contract with us, right, I mean it's they
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have constructive and productive conversation around goals and performance. It's another thing to throw
22:45
them under the bus every time someone's unhappy. Right. The bottom line is
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they need to know, like you said, doctor C, is that they
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need to know that they are valued. And we don't see them as a
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cost, but rather we see them as an asset who's helping bring in not
23:08
only cheat your business, but to better the betterment of their world. Right.
23:14
Right, does that make sense. Oh yeah, no, Heather,
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absolutely, So I'm gonna I'm gonna throw it back to Bill for a sec
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here, Bill to you know, and so eat contract or not right?
23:26
So we always hear we hear some funny contracts. I don't know you guys
23:30
have heard funny contracts in the past about musicians or something. They want to
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have certain like certain colored eminems, and they want to have certain certain things.
23:36
Their conditioning set at sixty five degrees. I want to have a limo
23:40
with this. Okay, these are all the things that this is the things
23:41
that they want right that they feel like I might say, we get crazy
23:45
crazy, but I do think it's important to figure out. To your point,
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Bill, how do you, as a as a business owner valuate what
23:55
is what are those things you know that are you know, because you can
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come up with your ideas, but that I may not match up with what
24:00
the employee thinks. Like you said, it's Heather, is how they think
24:04
is valuable to them. You're like, you know, hey, you know,
24:10
golfing would be awesome. I would love golfing. And the person is
24:11
I don't known golf clubs, but golfing is amazing, you know, I'll
24:15
give you a membership, Like how do you evaluate that bill from what's a
24:18
practical thing that you can do to evaluate. We've talked before about we've talked
24:26
before about really getting to know your employees, you know, and and in
24:30
ten thousand employee, you know, ventures maybe that's not as practical for the
24:36
person at the top to meet and know all ten thousand employees, but somebody
24:41
knows that employee, and you know, we need to we need to use
24:47
that information. I mean, it's just data count, you know, finding
24:52
out, oh, this person has golf clubs and likes to golf, or
24:56
this person has bad knees and can't sipline, so uh, you know,
25:02
we need to we need to learn, uh learn who these people are because
25:07
uh, you know, and and it goes to all the all the other
25:11
stuff you know, in in the contracts that or that might show up in
25:15
a contract as far as uh, you know, well, this person doesn't
25:19
do well in a warm environment and needs that needs that uh AC down to
25:26
sixty five in their office. So so we definitely adjust the uh the environmental
25:32
controls to to accommodate that person that you know, uh, some people will
25:38
do well the you know. The thing I was thinking is is that the
25:42
contract is it's kind of like the ultimate extension of the job description. You
25:48
know, it gets more specific and it uh, you know, holds you
25:53
to this is the thing that you can do. And of course that means
25:59
because it's a contract, you can't put in here and whatever else we say,
26:03
because that's way too way too vague, and and the person writing a
26:08
vague contract is always the one who loses. So but but yeah, we
26:15
need to get to know the employees better and find out what makes them tick.
26:22
You know, do I do I give them a cash reward for for
26:26
doing this thing? Or are they more motivated by the attam boy and the
26:30
thought of a promotion, you know? Or or are they motivated by the
26:36
thought of a contract. I mean that having that that security that Okay,
26:41
I'm gonna have a job for the next three to five years is uh it
26:45
can be pretty important these days. Yeah, so I mean it could be
26:51
maybe I mean in doc you get your thoughts on here. But you know,
26:53
I'm thinking maybe you know, do some kind of periodic survey, maybe
26:56
a third party you can come in, I do an organization of health.
26:59
This ask when I can look and see what's what's what they're valuing. I
27:03
know docs the year you have your e FAR system, So like, how
27:07
do we evaluate what what motivates them? What what interests them? The one
27:11
that comes to mind and I'll come to you next doc seat, But one
27:15
of these I think that we're dealing with. And like Heathery talked about,
27:17
the whole COVID thing changed. All this are are working arrangements, working from
27:22
home, working different hours, you know, and what works for individuals what
27:29
works for the organization. So for example, I used to work at the
27:32
County of Riverside and they were able to do what we call the nine to
27:36
eighty schedule, so I could take every other Friday out because I'd worked nine
27:40
hours every day except for every other friday. It worked for the organization and
27:45
it was an incentive like hey, we could adjust there. But you know,
27:48
Doxy, what what are ways that you know have you seen successful work?
27:52
Employers are looking at how to evaluate this because they don't want to just
27:56
come up with blanket statements and if it doesn't really matter or match, like
28:00
okay, let's figure out what where how can we find this that really resonates
28:03
with our team? Well, I think Bill just hit it on the head.
28:10
You really have to know because not everybody has a set of golf clubs.
28:14
You know, you really have to know your your people. And when
28:19
a ceo can can walk, remember the remember the cubicles. I ran into
28:26
a ceo that actually walked to each cubicle and looked at the cubical and one
28:34
particular salesperson wasn't doing very well, but he looked and he noticed all these
28:41
photographs of African animals, and so he pulled him in his office and said,
28:48
what is it that you really want to do? And he goes,
28:49
I want to go on to so far, take a bunch of pictures.
28:52
I want to spend thirty days. He goes, okay, we'll make that
28:56
happen for you. You you showed the production. He went and increased his
29:03
cells within a month thirty five percent, and six months he was in Africa.
29:10
Those kinds of things, and that's what Bill, that's what Bill was
29:12
talking about, is you have to know your employees. Because this person doesn't
29:17
want to play golf, he wants to go to Africa. Those are the
29:19
things that you put into those contracts, those performances, and that's why you
29:26
sit down and speak and talk to an employee and say, hey, what
29:30
do you want to do in the next five years, and what's your objective?
29:33
What are you a family person? Are you this or that? And
29:37
let me know why you're here. Because you're given me eight hours of your
29:41
day, of your life, and I want to give back to you.
29:45
And that's how you can do that. Mm hmm. That's r Yeah,
29:49
that's what you said when you triggered that doc se because that was came to
29:52
mind too. Depending on the season of life, I know, sometimes there
29:56
was like do I get paid a little extra per or do I get an
30:00
extra week of vacation or something like that? Right? Yeah, I mean
30:04
I may say, you know what, I'm making enough quote, you know
30:07
enough, I'd rather have the time was more valuable to me than maybe just
30:11
the cash in hand. So how about you, Heather, what has been
30:15
some innovative ideas you've seen come up for rewarding employees. Honestly, nothing is
30:23
amazing as that see so that one, right, I mean, but I
30:33
do love that you touched on the idea that time or vacation time might be
30:40
more valuable than the almighty dollar. Right, We're seeing. I mean,
30:45
I know we're talking business, but you look at the tiny house trend,
30:48
right, you look at people are finding ways to live their day to day
30:53
lives a more affordable budget so they can experience the world. Right. So
31:00
it does seem to be something that we're seeing in today's society as the younger
31:07
crowd wants to travel, they want to experience, they want to see,
31:10
they want to do, And we live now in a global economy. And
31:15
what's funny is we've lived in a global economy for quite some time, right,
31:18
but yet most recently it has become like this staple, this mainstay,
31:26
this intrinsic idea of necessity. And I talked to someone and to play here
31:34
at the hotel, because I've been at this hotel for three months, I'm
31:37
just saying I get to go home on something, you know. They they
31:45
talked about none of their family lives in the same city, Moore, and
31:49
I'm in the same boat. And they work, they've worked for a living,
31:55
but they don't want to live to work, right, they want to
32:00
be able to go and see those family members. For instance, I have
32:05
family in Washington, I have family in Wyoming, I have family in Florida,
32:08
and I have family in Reno in Nevada. Okay, so who do
32:15
you see, right? And then we have people telling us, you know,
32:19
European countries have blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. You know,
32:24
they're seeing that life can be better. I mean, I've got too a
32:31
nephew and a niece who are leaving the country to work because of the time
32:37
that those companies are going to allow them to have in addition to their regular
32:43
income. So I think that that time thing is a really big deal.
32:47
And I too a doctor. Seeing what he said is like, you know,
32:52
golfing, I like golfing. I'm terrible. I don't know my own
32:55
golf clooks. You're want to go golfing? Sure, why not, as
32:58
long as you're not going to judge me, right, But that's what I
33:02
like, being the extrovert that I am. Guess what I like? M
33:07
team sports? Oh there you go there, right, Let's go do karaoke,
33:14
let's you know, let's let's rock out to this song. Let's take
33:17
a break, you know, let's do this, let's you know, whatever
33:22
it might be. And I'm a swimmer, but the individual sport I love
33:27
is swimming. No one is going to want to go, Hey, let's
33:30
throw on our suits and go swimming. Right, And so that knowing people
33:35
and understanding what they actually value is important. Not only does it demonstrate to
33:40
the employee that you are concerned about what it is that they like, you're
33:45
interested in who they are. But you know, there's a reason we're business
33:50
people. There's a reason where where we're at in our companies. It's because
33:55
we've done the grind. We want something different and we know it's like to
34:00
be deep. We know it's like drager put in the safety zone. Right.
34:06
And so if we are able to do these things, do we not
34:12
want to help others achieve the same thing if they so desired. Yeah?
34:20
Absolutely, about helping one another lifting one another up. Not just you know,
34:25
I win and you lose, not even a not even a win win
34:30
the way I see it is a should be a win win win. Okay,
34:36
that means you win, I win, and together we also both right,
34:42
yea, how do we and how do we do that? Yeah?
34:45
That that's uh no, Heather, that's that's that's that's so great, And
34:50
that's why we have to give this this business round table podcast, so that
34:52
anyone that's listening here reach out to Heather, Bill, Doxy myself. We're
34:58
going to help you. We're bringing value, we're giving for because we know
35:00
that's that's just the way we live our lives is we want one of the
35:02
best for those that are listening and engaging with us and have a conversation.
35:07
We'll come with you. We've got decades and decades of experience between all of
35:12
us on this on this call here, and I agree with you it's it's
35:15
really important to listen to what's what's where they're at and look at the investment.
35:22
These could be small things. I mean sometimes we'd have like a monthly
35:24
meeting at the company. Some people will be online, some people on on
35:30
remote or in person, and we would buy lunch. I mean it would
35:34
be like ten bucks whatever, maybe twenty bucks a person. They're all there
35:37
right that. Like you said, Doxy, it's an investment. It's not
35:40
you know, it's not a liabilit you're investing them. You're bringing that team
35:44
together. Especially in today's world where where a lot of people are remote,
35:47
you have to read much more intentional about how you bring your team together and
35:52
do it in a way that they appreciate. So I know that we had
35:58
to lose Doxy, So thanks Doxy for jumping on tonight. But you know,
36:02
and Heather, I thought the other thing I was thinking about because we
36:05
talked about health and wellness before, you know, and healthy employee is going
36:10
to be a much more productive one. So investing and potentially if you can
36:14
do it, and if there's an interest in their drive for like a gym
36:16
membership or possibly maybe if you're depending on if your company is right, do
36:22
you have space to have like maybe a little mini gym or something that they
36:24
can come in and do a little workout or something or whatnot. Think creatively.
36:30
It may not be for everybody, right, you know, certainly,
36:34
and it shouldn't. It shouldn't be just about physical health either. You have
36:38
to worry about people's mental and emotional health. Yeah, absolutely absolutely. I
36:45
mean, well, yeah, well, you allow somebody to take twenty,
36:50
you know, thirty minutes out of their day in the middle of the day,
36:52
possibly to do meditation or some quiet time or walking. You know that
36:55
they need to just reset, right, maybe get a maybe get a service
37:01
like uh oh, what is it? Hold on? I know it,
37:08
Let me see like like a third party like company wellness. Yeah, yeah,
37:13
a third party that will that will let you talk to them you know
37:15
my health, No, my yeah, you can. There's definitely different.
37:20
One I know you're talking about, Bill is finding a third party where they
37:23
can call. Because here's the reality, Bill, like you're saying, you
37:27
know, sometimes it's they're not comfortable talking with employees or people their HR person.
37:31
So can you create a third party a space where they can can really
37:37
talk and feel like, man, they value me, They're giving me another
37:38
a resource, right, Heather. Absolutely, you're creating a safe environment and
37:45
someone with the expertise to actually help them and what it is that they're bringing
37:50
forward. Right mm hmm. My school, My school uses timely Care.
37:54
Timely Care. There you go, shout out to timely Care. I have
38:00
to worrying what that is, mister Hatch, So I need to know what
38:04
that is. But I have to say I'd loved what you said about It's
38:09
not about just physical health. It has to be a holistic approach. We
38:15
are not one dimensional beings. We are multi dimensional beings. We are physical,
38:24
we are spirit, we are emotional, we are mental, we are
38:30
metaphysical. Right, and we if we we really can't separate one piece out
38:37
and make it more important than the other because it's not possible. Because without
38:42
all the parts, we're not we're not really who we are and who and
38:45
what we are and where we want to be. All the parts matter,
38:50
right, Even even a cog in a machine matters, Yes, a line,
39:00
what happens right, And your wellness is like that too. And I
39:05
don't think that we have given the benefit of offering proper wellness options to our
39:15
employees. I really don't. And I think part of that is. You
39:20
know, we talked about the bottom line. The bottom line is important.
39:22
It is, it is. But if you can get past your mindset of
39:28
the limitations that you've got here and broaden your perspective, you can create so
39:35
much more, not only for yourself, but for everybody that works for you,
39:39
right, every single person. There's no reason and we can't have that
39:44
win win win situation. Yep. Well, And I think he and Bill
39:49
what you both triggered me as you were saying this, this thing. It's
39:52
easier to a smaller company, But I think I think we're trying to challenge
39:57
you to think creatively and as flexible as you can can sometimes the people I
40:00
see some rigidness, Well, this is the way we do it. We
40:04
only provide this program, this thing, you know, like it doesn't doesn't
40:07
quite match up or the needs, and so the greater flexibility you can be.
40:10
Yes, it may be a little bit more of a stretch on you
40:14
initially, but I find that the employees really do appreciate you, like you
40:17
said, Bill, really figuring out what's the best fit for where they're at
40:22
and what they need, and not just say well, this is the program
40:23
we've always used. Here's your uh, here's your mug, here's your here's
40:28
your mug for the year. Congratulations, thank you for your service. You
40:32
know, it's like I don't need another mug, thank you very much.
40:36
You know. Kind of a thing, Yeah, for sure. You know,
40:42
just as we're kind of getting closer to the end of the the podcast
40:45
here, what are just some other practical things or something that we think about
40:49
about implementing some kind of program or ward just so that we're effective in this
40:53
We've talked about maybe evaluating it. But now if we decided that hey,
40:58
this works, making sure that those are properly distributed or recognized so that because
41:07
I've heard. I don't know about you, guys. I've had this before
41:08
sometimes where people there was a benefit, they thought about it, They're like,
41:13
this is a way to do it, but the employees didn't know or
41:15
they didn't know how to access it or how to Oh you mean that's available
41:20
to me. What do I do well somewhere down on the website or you've
41:24
got to go here, or you've got to talk to this person. So
41:27
it doesn't there's some problems of implementation. It's that's that's the other half of
41:30
it. Has come to great ideas, you've got some you've got some resolutions,
41:36
and then how do we make that reward actually what it can be?
41:42
I don't know. So I know you're writing some things down, Bill,
41:45
So what are your what are you what are your thoughts there? Like,
41:47
how can we active, you know, practically implement this well? I think
41:53
I think what we really need to do is, like we said, know,
41:58
your employees find out what it is that makes find out what it is
42:01
that they really want, but what they really need because sometimes those things are
42:06
different, and uh and find out what it is that really makes them tick,
42:14
you know, and uh and approach them based on on those criteria,
42:20
you know, and also find out what it is that they can do that's
42:25
valuable to you, because that's what you're boring. That's the that's the reward
42:31
you're going to give. I mean, you can't. You can't say to
42:35
somebody, you know, hey, if you if you invent a new adhesive,
42:38
I'll give you, I'll give you a million bucks. It's not gonna
42:42
matter if they're not a chemist. Yeah you know so uh so yeah,
42:49
because I've I've been given those kinds of incentives before. It's like, hey,
42:53
well we'll give you this huge pile of cash if you do some if
42:57
you do a B and C it It's like, I have no idea do
43:00
those things. You can change the tilt of the Earth's access access. We
43:05
will do this right theodically, I know how to do that. Get stuck
43:10
with the math. Yes, I can do I can do super villainy,
43:15
but yeahs the math. The math sumps me every time. I mean,
43:23
I think what you're saying, what I would say, you know, Belle,
43:25
is what you what I heard you say is like, okay, what
43:30
can they give back to So one of the things I've done as far as
43:34
that is when I'm doing their performance review and I look at somebody's where their
43:37
goals are. Out of those goals, and I'll just use a biologist because
43:40
that's my background. So if they have a special survey or area that they
43:44
can work in, they're like, I really want to get that permit.
43:46
I want to get that so I can do more work. So it's like,
43:49
okay, well then I will pay for a course, I will help
43:52
you. I will guide you in the steps that you need to talk to,
43:55
or they do an introduction to an individual right education, training, whatever,
44:00
whatever level you want to want to talk about. As far as that
44:04
goes, is a great Uh. It is a great incentive because it's a
44:07
win win. It's one of Heather's win win wins, you know, because
44:12
you get to win because you get to know more. I get to win
44:15
because you get to do more for me. We're winning here together. Yes.
44:20
Yeah, So so I would definitely say that education can be a great
44:23
a great incentive. I just I think what I what I've seen bill along
44:29
those lines education or anything. So I'll use the education or professional development as
44:32
an example of implementing reward. What I found was, you know, it
44:37
just takes somebody that has and and Heather knows this, uh in the powerality.
44:43
We've had no on here before about powerality. I would say it may
44:45
take somebody that you what i'd call is a calculator, something that's very good
44:49
about systems and processes and says, hey, you want this to happen,
44:52
let me get all the steps in line so nothing gets dropped. So find
44:54
somebody on your team that can help you. In the five voices language is
45:00
to somebody like a guardian. Let's have somebody help you. Because what I
45:02
found is sometimes the people that are creative and come up with these solutions and
45:06
amazing ideas, they need somebody help to be an implementer and put this in
45:09
place. And it may not be the same person. So a business owner,
45:13
look for somebody else on your team that is really good at documenting this.
45:16
And so for example, I work with a client where we were had
45:21
it was very happenstance as far as how people were able to get approved for
45:25
professional development and what was required to build your point after they did it.
45:30
So what we ended up doing was I worked with a team they created a
45:32
whole form that would fill out here's the components Here's what I'm thinking about.
45:36
This is how aligned with the company. It was very clear, very transparent,
45:42
and there was a process for review and approval, and then there was
45:45
a subsequent follow up to build to your point where once that person went through
45:49
that or had that experience, they would be able to provide feedback as to
45:53
yes, that was good, was not good, don't do it again,
45:57
or here's my photos or documentation from that experience. I'm giving back to the
46:00
company. But I got that experience right, and please use this as the
46:06
company. I think any company that promotes this stuff education, you should be
46:09
promoting it and sharing it with the world. This is how we show up.
46:13
This is how we treat our employees and market There's nothing wrong with that.
46:16
It's really important to show this is how we live as a company.
46:20
This is our culture, this is our values. So if you're not doing
46:22
that as a company, I want to encourage you to make sure find somebody
46:27
else on your team that takes the pictures, that shares that highlights, that
46:30
promote it. This is who you are, right, Heather, you're nodding
46:34
there, so absolutely you know, and I'm so glad you mentioned aka.
46:39
Maurice W. Evans. Yes, it comes down to explitable value exchange,
46:50
right, And that equitable value exchange depends on the values of each individual.
46:58
Yes. First of all, you're getting work done for and your trading money
47:02
for that work, right, or you're trading money for that time I find
47:07
it is mattering money for the work, right. But the other thing is
47:12
you mentioned earlier, maybe time off is more valuable than higher pay. Right.
47:21
That equitable value exchange is really dependent on who your employees are. You
47:28
know, as the leader of the group, you have a certain powerality that
47:31
tends to run through the group. But if you have someone who is you
47:37
know, very emotions oriented, very people oriented, you know, the dollar
47:44
might not matter as much as recognition from somebody getting the recognition for a job
47:51
well done. Right. So, and I think that's important Bill, you
47:54
mentioned that it's important even if you can't know every buddy, someone on your
48:01
team should know that somebody, right, and we should be tapping into what
48:07
helps them tick, what helps them drive, what makes me drag? For
48:12
instance, you mentioned calculator David. Well, as you know, I am
48:17
very not a calculator. Yes, I am one of those. I'm the
48:22
big picture girl. I have these wild visions and dreams and amazing thoughts and
48:27
stuff. But I am not your nitty gritty detail person. I need someone
48:32
like a calculator on my team because that is not my forte. Can I
48:38
do it painfully, yes, But if I have the right team in place,
48:44
we can feed off of each other and allow their superpowers to come into
48:51
play. And again it brings us to that win win win situation. Yep.
48:57
And that's all I got to say about that. That's well, that's
49:00
a good spot. We're going to do final thoughts here. I mean,
49:01
really, that's what we want to be and we want that win win win.
49:05
We want to create what I heard you both talk about is a good
49:07
work life balance, having mental health not just physical support. Right, We're
49:15
creating this holistic approach as a company. And this takes intentionality. It doesn't.
49:19
It's not accidental. It just doesn't like happen. As soon as you
49:23
add an employee and employee into your organization, it changes, and you add
49:28
another one and it changes again, and it changes again as you as you
49:31
grow, so you it never is not static. It is not static.
49:36
So you know this idea, and I hope you know we talked earlier.
49:39
I really like that mindset approach that that that's my key takeaway, as I
49:44
heard Doc say, I know it's not here, but really the mindset is
49:45
that your employees are an asset. Look at them as an asset, invest
49:51
in an asset, nurture them, and find like you said, Bill too,
49:55
the you get to know them what makes them tick? That the other
50:00
thing that for me hard load and clear as you as you shared. But
50:04
Bill, final thoughts and I'll come to Heather and we'll wrap it up for
50:07
the night. But on this topic, wow, yeah, just uh,
50:12
just the golden rule, you know, Uh, it applies here. You
50:17
know, do do to others as you would have them do to you.
50:22
Treat others, you know, like you would have them treat you. If
50:24
if you would want to be treated as an individual and not just the number,
50:29
then treat your employees like individuals and not just numbers. You know.
50:35
And uh and once again goes right back to get to know them. Start
50:40
at the when you're adding them, Start at the at the very beginning during
50:45
the interview. Find out, you know, I just have them right out,
50:49
what makes you tick? What is the thing you really want? And
50:52
uh and you know, and uh and go from there. That will that
50:57
will help out loads. Yeah. And if they need help, call Bill,
51:01
He'll help you. He's a leadership guide expert myself or Heather. Uh,
51:07
and we're happily guide you there, Heather. Final thoughts here on this
51:12
topic. Appreciate all your energy and enthusiasm here. I can't. I couldn't
51:17
stop it if I try to do. We don't have all guys here.
51:21
We got to have a ladies here bringing some energy and waking us up,
51:24
so we appreciate it. You know. One of the things that comes to
51:30
me, especially after being a coach and an educator and a mentor, is
51:37
I think it's important. You know, we're looking at the business, the
51:40
health of a business, the wellness of the business industry, and how we
51:45
can make things better for the employees. And then the sentence. I think
51:50
what the biggest thing to remember is, just like when you're looking at yourself
51:53
as an individual and then others outside of you, is that first of all,
52:00
you matter, yes, okay, and they matter right, and more
52:08
importantly, the wellness of the corporation, the wellness of the individuals, the
52:15
wellness of the employer and the employee, the team matters. And if you
52:22
can take that mattering forward, so to speak, if you can let people
52:28
know that they truly matter, they are valued, it's a totally it's a
52:36
game changer. It's a different world. So I'm going to leave it at
52:37
that, you matter, I matter, We matter. Yes, yes,
52:44
no, that's that's. Thank you so much, Heather. We're glad to
52:46
have you back on the Business Roundtable podcast, and we thank you guys for
52:51
listening. Leave your comments, your feedback. We appreciate that. We stream
52:57
this episode every time every week on LinkedIn. You can find us on YouTube,
53:01
all of the podcast platforms we're out there. We appreciate your five star
53:06
reviews, your likes, your engagement really helps us get the word out.
53:08
So if you found this valuable today, share it with a colleague, you
53:14
know, post it. We really do appreciate that. And again, if
53:17
you guys have questions as you're listening to us, reach out to myself,
53:21
reach out to Heather dot C Bill. We will come back with other great
53:25
episodes if you want. If you have something you haven't heard yet, you
53:29
want to know more about it, And again, we would love to have
53:32
you as a guest speaker as well, So we invite different folks coming onto
53:37
the roundtable. Thank you again, Bill and Heather. It was wonderful having
53:40
you guys. Have a great night everybody. Thank you David, thank you
53:45
Bill, thank you every