Make the journey as good as the destination

By Michael Feuer

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We all know top-level executives down to hourly employees who endure their jobs, thinking that if they can hang in there long enough, they can leave with the carrot for which they have suffered. It could be a retirement pension, a stay bonus, health care benefits, a gold watch, a golden parachute or any combination of the above.

This mindset makes for a miserable journey, and when one gets to the destination, the payoff is seldom as fulfilling as imagined. Worse yet are those people who have muddled through their entire careers doing jobs they despise, all the while dreaming of the “thereafter.” When the end finally does come, their life could suddenly turn into a premature “hereafter,” as in pushing up daisies.

Think about the wasted effort and frustration of waiting to realize a dream, only to find out in the end it is really a nightmare. Maybe this sounds a bit draconian, but there are too many people who say they’ll put in their 20, 30 or 40 years and then go do something “worthwhile.” Imagine the dismal quality of their lives when their workday feels like a week and weeks seem to pass like years. This makes for disgruntled workers who inhibit productivity and pull the good people down with them.

Create enjoyment in the workplace

Ask your employees what their favorite and least favorite days of the week are, and it’s almost guaranteed that Friday is at the top of the list and

Monday is at the bottom. Now that is not terrible, but if your people are more concerned about getting through the week than pursuing the challenges with which they deal every day, your business is suffering or surely will suffer from inertia.

Management’s job is to make sure that employees can gain a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction from doing their job efficiently and effectively. Leadership must set measurable benchmarks so that everyone can keep his or her own personal scorecard and recognize his or her own self-worth. Measurements can be just about anything from reaching a sales goal, completing a project or solving customers’ problems in a way that meets or exceeds their expectations.

Sometimes, it is the simple things that count the most. As an example, in many major call centers when customer reps make a sale or solve a caller’s thorny problem, they walk over and ring a bell in recognition of their accomplishment of the moment. Workplaces such as this, where performance is continually recognized, can be highly fulfilling. These same techniques can be translated into any environment. Sometimes the more outrageous the action, the more satisfying the recognition. Of course financial rewards are important and a meaningful reflection of good performance, but, as they say, “Man does not live by bread alone.”

Show appreciation to get appreciation

Most companies pay “market rate” for employees in any given category. So why is it that one company has terrific employee satisfaction while others, whose pay is comparable, have dismal scores? It is not just about money. The best organizations figured out long ago that they must engage their employees and make them part of the process, not just spectators.

Most people don’t get up in the morning and say, “I’m going to do a mediocre or bad job today.” When that happens in your company, ask yourself if management is communicating with employees about the progress of the business, including the good news as well as the challenges. Equally important, has management told employees “thanks” recently and underscored to them that their efforts are not only just appreciated but also have enabled the company to succeed? Find the hot buttons that invigorate your people and start pushing them, not just when you think of it or feel like it but on a regular and sustained basis. Also, don’t be afraid to share periodic setbacks or bad news. This, too, sends an important signal that every employee is a part of the team, and it’s the employees who define the company.

By doing all of this, don’t be surprised at 5:00 p.m. on some Friday afternoon when you wish your people a good weekend and they respond with sincere enthusiasm, “Look forward to seeing you Monday.” When this happens, you’ll know that you’re making the journey as rewarding as reaching the destination.

MICHAEL FEUER co-founded OfficeMax in 1988 with a friend and partner. Starting with one store during a 16-year span, Feuer, as CEO, grew the company to almost 1,000 stores worldwide, with annual sales approximating $5 billion before selling this retail giant for almost $1.5 billion in 2003 to Boise Cascade Corp. Feuer immediately launched another start-up, Max-Ventures, a retail/consumer products venture capital operating and consulting firm headquartered in suburban Cleveland, Ohio. Feuer serves on a number of corporate and philanthropic boards and is a frequent speaker on business, marketing and building entrepreneurial enterprises. Reach him with comments at mfeuer@max-ventures.com.