Improving employee performance in a recession

With the economy heading towards a recession many businesses are operating on skeleton staffing which means that every employee needs to be doing more than would normally be expected just to keep things going.

So how can you motivate your employees to perform in a truly productive way during this stressful and difficult time without investing in consultants or incentives you can’t afford? By going back to the fundamental truth that every business exists to create value for its customers.

We often get caught up focusing on conversations about marketing tactics, technology advances, price competition or sales incentives that district us from the real reason the business exists.

When people on a team are each focusing on different things we waste time, waste resources and don’t get the results we want.

In times of crisis every single day and every single dollar is a precious resource.

No business can afford to have any member of the team focus energy on anything other than the most critical function – creating value for your customers.

The most powerful way to do this is to get clear on a simple ‘strategic narrative’ that captures the story of the value your business exists to create for your customers.

This can be shared with everyone on your team at every level. It works for a business with five employees the same way it does for a business with 500 employees.

As Simon Sinek says, “There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it. Very few people or companies can clearly articulate why they do what they do.”

So how do you create a strategic narrative?

Answer these questions and then create a simple story that pulls the answers together and can be shared with your team in a ‘story-like’ format.

  • Who is your customer?
  • What is the problem they have before they work with you?
  • How are things better for them after they have worked with you?
  • What are they now able to do that they wouldn’t have been able to do if they didn’t work with you?
  • What is that worth to them? (tangible and intangible value)
  • How do you do what you do to deliver the result you offer? (your plan, process, model or guarantee)

The best way to share your narrative will be video message or video conference call, but also send it by email. This will create great value for your business by creating alignment in good times and in bad.

As the great Peter Drucker said, “The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths so strong that it makes the system’s weaknesses irrelevant.”

Meqa Smith is the strategist of The Unforgettable Agency.

For more information contact Meqa Smith at m@unforgettable.agency. 

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.  

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter

TAGS

Leave a comment:

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required

Advertisement

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.
Advertisement