Engaging current and new customers is important. But doing the same for your team of employees might be even more important.
By Jennifer Paulson
When you think about marketing and engagement on a day to day basis, your mind probably centers on your current customer base and attracting newcomers to your barn. But what about your team of employees? What do you do on a day to day basis to connect with and engage your staff? From stall cleaners to assistant trainers to bookkeepers, it’s your job to inspire them and make them feel part of your big dreams to keep them.
Some studies show it can cost 16% to 20% of an average employee’s salary to replace them, let alone the time and effort it takes to train up a new hire to fully function in their role. Do you have that kind of time and money? Probably not. Additionally, when a member of your team leaves, it can make everyone on your team question what went wrong, should they think about leaving, and what impact a short-handed team has on them. This makes engaging with your staff a critical component to your success.
Here are five tips to inspire and engage your employees on a regular basis, helping you keep your valuable team intact.
Tip 1: Be the Leader
As the “head honcho” of your training operation, it’s your job to emulate the team you want to see. In other words, you have to walk the talk. Model your core values and mission on a daily basis, and your employees will learn how you want them to behave, carry themselves, and interact with customers and other team members every day.
Tip 2: Use Your Words
Choosing the most active, team-oriented language makes a difference. Consider the following.
“We accomplished this goal at the horse show,” versus, “I met this goal.” The inclusiveness of “we” recognizes the efforts of everyone on your team, even if the win came with you in the saddle.
“Let me share an idea,” versus “Let me propose a solution.” If what you’re speaking about is exactly how you want something done, being direct can ensure the outcome you desire. Leaving room for interpretation—e.g., sharing—might not yield the results you were looking for, can cause confusion, and builds tension between you and your employee.
Tip 3: Solicit Feedback
If your culture supports it—and you want your employees to truly feel like a vital part of your team—ask them what’s working and what’s not in your situation. Do you communicate clearly and effectively? How is their workload? Do they feel like you provide adequate direction? What are their goals? Having these conversations can help you and your employees have stronger relationships and keeps them engaged with you as a leader, as well as helps address any problems that might be on the horizon.
Tip 4: Don’t Assume They’re Happy
This goes hand in hand with Tip 3. When you solicit feedback, don’t be surprised if there are concerns to address. No employee—not even yourself as the boss—can be 100% happy and satisfied with a job 100% of the time. Accepting that makes it easier to have difficult conversations and find proactive solutions to keep your employees engaged with their work and committed to your brand.
Tip 5: Provide Benefits or Perks
When you own a small business like your training operation, it can be tough to provide traditional benefits like health insurance or retirement savings. But you can provide other incentives that make working for you better than another barn. Perks such as extending sponsor discounts to your employees, providing housing, taking your staff to lunch or dinner, and offering access to financial expertise help your employees find extra value outside the daily work, which can encourage them to dedicate themselves to your business.
What Is Employee Engagement?
At its core, employee engagement represents how passionate your employees feel about their jobs, how committed they are to your business’s mission, and how much effort they put into their day-to-day tasks. When employees are engaged, they feel part of your mission. They’re invested in your big-picture goals. This means they’re more likely to put in extra effort to achieve benchmarks or goals. Additionally, they’re more likely to stay with your team, which saves you the time, effort, and costs associated with finding, onboarding, and training a new hire.
