With this month’s newsletter and blogs, I’m probably coining a term*: “StaffX.” If you’re in the IT or software industry, you may have heard or seen the term “UX” which is an abbreviation for “user experience.” Well, StaffX would, then, be an abbreviation for “staff experience.” Just as the user experience refers to the experience a user will have interfacing with a software application, the staff experience refers to the experience someone will have, being employed at your company.
Why is StaffX So Crucial?
While conducting webinars and participating in various corporate events, the problem I hear about most consistently is personnel retention. For various reasons, keeping personnel seems to be a serious problem these days.
It’s important, then, that companies create the most positive staff experience—StaffX—that they possibly can, so that personnel remain with the company.
Willing to Move
There’s yet another reason to create an attractive and compelling StaffX.
One recent change I’ve seen in the area of personnel is that executives and staff who feel they’re not in stable situations are quite willing to leave and move on to other employment opportunities offering more welcoming work environments. Some are even willing to take less money and benefits to move to a better staff experience.
That means that, as such people are looking around for another company to move to, they will be attracted to a company that has a great staff experience. You therefore will want to set your company up to attract such worthy executives and staff who might be seeking to make a move.
What is a Great StaffX?
What would a great StaffX consist of? Well, look at it for yourself. What would you look for in a company as an employee? At the least, it would contain such elements as:
- Fair pay. Of course, money is important. But what can be even more important is that if the company pays fairly for the work performed and offers plenty of ways and means for a person who produces well, is effective and good at their job to increase their pay. This would apply to benefits as well.
- A friendly work environment. How are people treated within the company? Are they respected and regarded with dignity? This is the kind of conduct that starts from the top down. As executives set an example of treating people well, so will the employees.
- Camaraderie. Is there an excellent company spirit within the organization? Are people happy to work there? Are they proud of the company and what it delivers, and of being part of the team?
- Company’s commitment to employee success. Does the company want its employees to succeed? What ways and means does it offer for employees to do well there? This could include training—not only for the employee’s particular job but for other jobs that the employee may be looking toward for advancement.
- Welcoming of employee input and participation in company success. Does the company welcome employee ideas and input for the company's products or services, company processes, and even the company? Does the company reward such participation if it is merited?
There are obviously more elements as well, but these are certainly a good starting place.
Create a Great StaffX
Have a look at your company’s StaffX. How does it measure up? Another way of asking the question would be, how happy are your employees to be working there? If they’re not entirely satisfied, you should fix that situation. Survey your employees and find out what you could do to make it a better environment for them.
To learn more, sign up at SELLability.com.
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*I say “I’m probably coining a term” because while there are companies with the word “StaffX” in their company name, they don’t define the word, or at least they’re not defining it as I am.
