As a newly minted entrepreneur, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about value – what it is, and what it means to provide it. As an entrepreneur, part of my job is to figure out what my customers (and potential customers) want or need and how I can help them fulfill that desire. That help, and the results that are created, are the value I provide.
An employee has a similar mission – provide value to their employer by getting them the results they are looking for. In my case, I have to be proactive about enticing my customers to tell me about their businesses, the results they are looking for, and the challenges they are facing. With that information, I can craft an offer that would be valuable. An employee really shouldn’t have to jump through so many hoops to understand what value they are expected to provide.
Talk to employees about how they provide value
No employee should have to guess about what value their employer provides to customers or how they themselves contribute to that value. No employer should assume that their definition of value is obvious.
Here are some examples of what an employer might say:
- “When you follow the given process for every service, you are providing our customers with a consistent experience they can trust. Your consistency provides value to the business in the form of trustworthiness, and allows us to pass that same value on to the customer.”
- “By recording refunds in the appropriate spreadsheet, you are making it easier to balance the books and track what sorts of issues lead to refunds. By completing this task, you provide value to your colleagues in the form of accuracy which helps the business stay solvent.”
- “Your job is to create merchandise displays. Making attractive displays provides value by drawing the customer’s attention and making them more likely to purchase. The value is an attractive, pleasant environment in the store that ultimately leads to more revenue.”
This conversation is worth having with longstanding employees as well as new hires. It’s valuable for the business owner as well, because it keeps clear in your mind what value you are paying for.
Have you ever talked to employees about the value they provide? Have you ever thought about it in those terms? Do you think it might be helpful? Let me know in the comments!