Is it realistic for you to expect loyalty from your team? My name is Jerry Beerman, and I’m the owner of Alluring Glass. I’ve been working in the trades for 18 years. Additionally, I’m the co-founder of the Conduit Apprenticeship Program (CAP), where we prepare high school students for opportunities in businesses like ours. I’m also the co-founder of Conduit, a platform dedicated to helping leaders like you and me grow both personally and professionally. We provide valuable content to business leaders because we believe in the philosophy that a rising tide lifts all ships.
Today, I want to share five key ingredients that can foster loyalty among your staff. However, I must emphasize that you can’t force someone to be loyal. What you can do as a leader is demonstrate loyalty to them. Here are the five ingredients we’ve used to cultivate loyalty.
Ingredient number one: Grow your staff. Are you intentionally helping your team improve at their jobs? When mistakes happen, do you coach and develop them, understanding the root causes and helping them grow to perform at a best-in-class level? Do you provide a roadmap for their advancement if they perform with excellence? Growing your staff is essential to building loyalty.
Ingredient number two: Financial literacy. This ingredient is about ensuring your team understands financial management. We offer a 401(k) with a match and bring in our benefits provider twice a year to educate our staff on the importance of participating in the plan and what it can do for them by retirement. Additionally, we guide our staff through Financial Peace University, reimbursing the $99 cost if they complete the course. This program helps our staff build emergency funds, get out of debt, and improve their overall financial health, contributing to their loyalty.
Ingredient number three: Physical fitness. We promote physical health among our team. We have conversations about fitness, organize weight loss programs, and even hold pushup challenges. We’re also installing a gym in our facility to support those who want to get in shape. Encouraging physical fitness is another way we foster loyalty.
Ingredient number four: Mental health. Addressing mental health is crucial, especially with many young staff members facing issues like sleep problems, anxiety, and panic attacks. While we’re not mental health professionals, we can provide resources and financial support for staff to seek professional help. We’ve also created a quiet room with comfortable chairs and white noise for short breaks to help our office staff recalibrate. Supporting mental health contributes significantly to staff loyalty.
Ingredient number five, the most important: Culture. A strong culture is vital for loyalty. We focus on whether our staff members have friends at work and actively try to foster these connections. Additionally, we organize quarterly outings, such as pickleball, bowling, or pizza nights, to strengthen relationships and enhance our workplace culture.
To recap, the five ingredients to guarantee loyalty are:
- Grow your staff by helping them excel in their roles.
- Enhance their financial literacy.
- Encourage physical fitness.
- Support their mental health.
- Cultivate a positive and inclusive culture.
You don’t have to implement all these ingredients, but incorporating any of them can help build a loyal and dedicated team. Check out the Youtube video here – https://youtu.be/YBcP7xvACUA