Employee Satisfaction: 5 ways of showing your teams they are appreciated

Employee satisfaction is key to retention in any industry. Insurance is a space that can be incredibly intense. When a customer’s property, livelihood or wellness is on the line, your company or agency is many times seen as responsible. Insurance and risk assessment are essential in our modern world and economy and, after the first half of 2020, it’s not hard to see why. 

While some see the potential for disaster as always looming, I like to look at things in a more positive light. Look how much we have accomplished in the past six months, faced with less-than-desirable conditions and against poor projections, this country and this industry has shown its strength—and none of that would have been possible without the hard work of the people we lead and direct. 

We’ve talked before about how it is important to be a visible leader, to connect with your employees and team members in a genuine way. To take the concept even further, what are some tangible actions you can take to show the folks who work for you that you not only appreciate them, but that you have an active interest in seeing them grow as professionals?

The Obvious

While a bonus or a promotion is not your only option, it is an obvious way to encourage employees and increase employee satisfaction, to show them that their contributions to your agency or company are appreciated. A promotion is a unique opportunity to take what you know about a team member, learning about their professional goals and to give them the responsibilities that will most effectively help them work towards that target.

The Simplest Form of Messaging

Have you ever received a thank you note you didn’t expect? Knowing that someone you respect took a minute out of their day to put pen to paper or write a short email is a simple thing, but it lets you know you are seen and that your work matters. As a boss, these small gestures do wonders in cultivating a culture of mutual respect.

A Face-to-Face

At least once a week, I like to go around our offices and see my employees, ask them how they are doing—not what they are doing. The distinction is important. I know what they are doing, and I hire these people because I know they are fully capable of doing it. These little talks aren’t about micromanaging—they are an opportunity for me to learn and an opportunity for them to tell me about any concerns, any success and any problems in or out of the office they might be having. Plenty of variables, at work and away from it, can affect employee satisfaction and productivity. As a leader, I am in a position where I can bolster my team members to most effectively overcome those obstacles.

Teachable Moments and Learning

There are conferences, online seminars, team building events and other opportunities that a company or agency can provide to its employees that not only arm them with the most advanced strategies and data the field has to offer but also show, again, that you are invested in your work family. 

Give the a Spotlight

In meetings, at events or on social media, you have the chance to recognize outstanding work in a very visible way. Not only does it show that a senior member of the organization recognizes their work as important, it also provides their peers the chance to recognize them, be inspired by them and to possibly engage in a little healthy competition that can drive everyone forward.

The James Allen Companies is dedicated to helping our client partners in the insurance industry build cultures with high retention and even higher levels of employee satisfaction.