The Number 1 Secret to Creating a Workplace With Highly Engaged and Motivated Employees

As the job market continues to lag behind leadingautonomy over her position.
indicators of economic recovery business leaders areAnother recent meeting with a well respected law
struggling with maintaining employee motivation.firm in my region, Finkelstein and Partners, exposed
Complaints of having to do more with less grow.me to a story of how one person in the firm's mail
Between hovering layoffs and employees seeingroom made a $5 million difference in the life of one
co-workers laid off or neighbors still struggling to findof its clients. In a personal injury case in which the
jobs, employee motivation and workplace attitudesclient had been left a paraplegic from a car accident
are in decline.the firm was getting ready to go to trial. Late on a
In this environment organizations may be strugglingFriday afternoon a FedEx package arrived for the
with ways to maintain employee engagement levels.attorney assigned to the case.
But, there is one easy, effective and inexpensiveThe mail room attendant sensed the importance of
solution to the challenge. That is finding ways tothe package and took it upstairs to the attorney's
communicate directly how an employee's role makesoffice before the end of the Friday workday. Inside
a difference in helping the organization achieve itsthe package was a settlement offer from the
vision and mission. Unfortunately, this strategy isdefending attorney of $5 million, with an acceptance
rarely used because few business leaders understanddeadline of 5 p.m. the upcoming Monday.
its power or how to integrate it into their company'sHad the mail clerk waited for the FedEx package to
culture.go through the usual mail distribution process it would
There is an urban legend which describes a storynot have reached the attorney until Monday morning,
when consultants were walking the halls at NASA ingiving the attorney and client only hours to evaluate
the late 1960s evaluating the progress of the Apollothe offer to make a decision. Instead, the attorney
Moon mission. In their travels they came upon twopresented the offer to the client on Friday night and
janitors in two different areas of the organization.they had the entire weekend to make a decision.
They asked both what their job was. One said, "I'mThe offer was accepted giving the injured client a
a janitor. I just clean up around here." The other said,much needed guarantee of financial resources while a
"I'm helping to put a man on the moon."risky, emotionally difficult and expensive trial was
Which was more motivated and probably did aavoided.
better job?This story proves that a mail room clerk is more than
Whenever are asked employees to identify whatjust mail room clerk and can make a difference in the
their job is most default to their mundane job titles.lives of a law firm's clients, much like a janitor "helping
You often hear things such as, "I'm just theto put a man on the moon."
receptionist" or "I'm a customer service rep." But,When business leaders can identify ways their
upon visiting my newest client for the first time aemployees make a difference in a customer's life and
couple of months ago, I was greeted by thefind ways to communicate it so the employees
"Director of First Impressions." The uninitiated wouldconnect their specific contribution to achieving the
have called her "the receptionist." This "Director ofcompany's vision, mission and purpose, it is extremely
First Impressions" presented me with a printed menurewarding and motivating.
of soft drink options as if I had just sat down at aGive it a try. It's more exciting, motivating, rewarding
fine dining restaurant to review its wine list. This ideaand less expensive than anything else most business
for presentation to office visitors was just one ofleaders offer, guaranteed.
her "first impression" additions, once she was given