Employees First, Customers Second ~ by Francesca Sanchez
The title of this blog post may seem unusual to some, but it is part of the Sellers PR DNA. I have worked for Jo for 18 years. That in itself is surprising in an industry where people move around a lot, but when you discover that Chloe has celebrated more than 10 years and other staff anniversaries have included 14 years - you start to see a pattern. The reason? Everyone feels valued, supported and empowered. Because of this, there is no need to micromanage or set KPIs, we all want to do everything we can to achieve outstanding results for ourselves, the team, Jo and our clients. Going the extra mile is what Sellers PR is known for and you can see examples of this over on our client and press testimonials {LINK}. Read on to discover how to put your employees first to ensure your customers are always well looked after.
“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
Celebrate Your Employees
If you have had a scroll through our Instagram account you will have seen how birthdays, Christmases and new business wins are celebrated at Sellers PR. Most people spend more time with their colleagues than their family, so creating a work environment that is fun and rewarding is key. You don’t want your employees to have that Sunday night back to school feeling, you want them to be ready to take on the week with a positive attitude and know that they will be recognised for their achievements.
Instil Confidence
One of the key areas where I think Sellers PR stands out from the crowd is that every member of the team is invested in all accounts and when it comes to new business everyone will work on the proposal. There are no restrictions in place based on your job title and you are actively encouraged to voice your opinions and put forward new ideas.
Flexible Working
Way before Covid-19, the workplace was rapidly changing. Flexible hours help to ensure a healthy work-life balance; whether it is picking up children from childcare, attending a favourite yoga class or seeing family and friends for mid-week dinners. It is also important to let people work at a time when they are naturally at their best. Some people, myself included are inspired in the mornings, which is why I often start work at 7:30am but for others in the team, a 10am start and working later in the evening is when they are at their most creative.
Encourage Continued Learning
Whether it is personal or professional, we are all encouraged to learn new skills to keep us ahead of the game. In our office it is not unusual to have lively discussions around link building, cost per click, neuro-linguistic programming and stocks and shares ISAs!
Relationships
Look up from your screen! Take the time to ask your employees questions about their weekends, hobbies, what they are watching on Netflix/Prime, books they have read, how their holiday was and listen to their answers fully, not with one eye on your emails. I feel incredibly lucky to call my work colleagues friends who I know will always have my back.
Give Back
Volunteering or donating to a charity or local community is incredibly rewarding and also helps to keep you grounded and focused on the bigger picture. Sellers PR is proud to support Breast Cancer Haven {LINK}, helping to organise fashion shows, quiz nights and tea/ coffee mornings. Our client Dualit has also got involved with its iconic Classic Toaster {LINK} available in petal pink and a donation made to the charity.
Fundamentally, if you look after your employees, they will look after your clients and the business will follow. As the business and leadership guru, Steven Covey says, "Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers."
Want to discuss your next product launch? Get in touch.