“Sorry, we can’t get your house cleaned this month… we’re too short staffed. We can’t find enough cleaners for our growing business,” Alexia said. 

The following week there was a cancellation, and Alexia sent two ladies to clean our home. Curious, I asked them, “Why is your company struggling to service customers?” 

“They’re about to lose us too,” they both said with a thousand pounds of irritation in their voices. 

What You Say, And What You Do 

For the next twenty-minutes, they shared about their frustrations about what the companies says and what they actually do—

  •  They say that they pay the best in the business, but they actually take our tip money.
  • They say that they’re a great company to work for, but they actually don’t care about us at all… we’re just workers.
  • They say that work/life balance, and “growing at a manageable pace” is a top priority, but they actually schedule us to work during our lunch time.

When what we say and what we do don’t match, it’s difficult to understand why we’re struggling to get and keep good people, and therefore grow profitability. The challenge comes in when we believe what we’re saying, without taking the time to check it. 

A Mismatch In Promises 

A few years ago, I watched a team member at Best Buy get padded down before leaving the store. Thinking I was next up, I asked with a concerned tone, “Well, that’s interesting… am I next?” 

“No, no… we just do this with employees,” the security guard said. 

Standing outside the store, I pulled up the internet on my phone and typed in, “top values at Best Buy.” Their top value: Trust. 

Most companies and leaders make promises in order to get the people they need to do the work, so that the company continues being profitable. Come work for us, they say, and we’ll… 

  • Treat you like family,
  • Help you succeed,
  • Ensure an inclusive culture,
  • Prioritize work/life balance, and
  • Have fun!

Integrity Means Your Words And Actions Are In Alignment 

Then, these leaders never check to ensure that they are fulfilling their promises, or their company values. Before they know it, the cost of employee turnover pushes them to do something different. 

Rather than checking to see how they’re doing on their employer promises, they quickly add a few more promises, hoping that this great resignation will end soon and the balance of power will be back in their court. 

Instead of waiting for people to be happy to just have a job, consider using turnover, resignation, and disempowered team members to push you into checking on your promises. Then, ask yourself this key question: would I want to work here?  

 

Here’s to your greatness,  

Misti Burmeister 

Misti Burmeister equips leaders and teams with skills and resources to empower and engage across generations. For nearly 20 years, she has facilitated communication that results in trust, increasing engagement and productivity across generations. Make sure your communication is coming across the way you intend, visit https://www.MistiBurmeister.com