Boosting Employee Morale Electronically

Thankfully most companies are now providing Internet access to all their employees.

As owners, managers, and executives, we tend to wear blinders when it comes to our staff and employees. We seldom give a conscious thought to the humdrum aspect of their daily duties. If we do give it a thought, it’s sort of a 'well that’s the job and somebody’s got to do it.'

As one who came up through the sales and marketing ranks in business, I can recall, with a shudder, those infamous 'phone bank days.' Making one call after another to our distributors all day long was like Chinese water torture. It stifled creativity and led to long, drawn out yawns and droopy eyelids. But it was 'part of the job and somebody had to do it.'

Today, many of our personnel still have to deal with 'phone bank days' every day. Customer service representatives, call center employees, claims processing, even the occasional producer — whatever the title, their job has been to proactively place calls (marketing, prospecting, etc.) or to reactively receive calls (sales, claims, service, etc.). Depending on phone traffic, the only change is usually the equally boring processing of paperwork.

Recent studies have indicated that the Internet can be a catalyst for change. Web-enabled employees are finding more satisfaction in their jobs, according to the InternetWeek Newsletter. One telephone customer service representative described a dull day of waiting for the phone to ring. Now Web-enabled, that same CSR is excited about work and happy to be using writing and analytical skills.

Automation has expanded telephone-oriented positions into multifunctional support centers with Internet access, e-mail, and faxes, along with the traditional telephones and snail mail. Computer resources, coupled with the Internet, enable employees to research, evaluate, and determine the proper actions or solutions to just about any situation (provided the management is wise enough to empower them and support their actions).

E-mail requires the exercising of long-dormant writing muscles. When was the last time one of your staff actually 'wrote' a letter — I mean word by word, not just printing a computerized template?

I recently visited the Web site of a large insurance agency. Although I was disappointed that most of the pages were billboards about the agency, I did like their communications page. This page listed every employee in the agency and each name was a direct e-mail hyperlink to that employee. Obviously they understand the value to a client of immediate contact with the right person. Likewise I’m sure that the employees feel valued by having their own e-mail account.

Conversely, I was just talking with a person at a major support organization to the insurance industry and wanted to e-mail them something. They sheepishly asked if I could mail or fax it, because they didn’t have individual e-mail. All e-mail went to a central address and could only be accessed at one computer! Embarrassment is definitely not high on the top 10 list of morale-boosters.

If Web-enablement for each employee can improve their performance, increase their job satisfaction, enhance the services provided to your clients, begin to educate them on the coming world of business, improve your prospecting results, and significantly augment your profits, can you afford not to do it?

Here are a few thoughts for you to consider:

• Provide every employee with their own e-mail address. It’s a tremendous morale booster. Remember when you got your first business card?

• Use your Web site to provide e-mail links, name, and title identification for all employees. This makes things a lot easier for your clients.

• Consider featuring employees on your Web site. This helps your customers to better connect and identify with your employees. You might even consider letting each employee have their own 'home page' within your site.

• Promote frequent internal communication via e-mail, including motivational 'pats on the back' for jobs well done, promotions, and other company news.

In today’s world, job satisfaction and high morale aren’t just warm fuzzies. No one can afford to lose good employees to Web-enabled competitors. And losing clients because you aren’t living up to their expectations in an automated world is another story for another time.

Just as the Internet provides new and exciting ways to nurture clients, it offers that same potential to nurture employees.

Be creative and reap the benefits. Remember that connectivity benefits both employees and clients, connectivity can increase employee retention, and happy employees make happy customers.