Key Themes at the Workplace Champions Summit: Employee Experience to Facilitating Change
“If you put your people first, they will put your company first.” Wise thoughts brought to our podcast discussion by Jill Christensen, just weeks following her keynote address at our third annual iOFFICE user conference, the Workplace Champions Summit. We’ve gathered up some of the highlights from both our event and Jill’s recent interview, on why the employee experience should be your first priority even ahead of your customers, and how to cultivate an environment where everyone feels heard.
Highlights From The Workplace Champions Summit
iOFFICE Workplace Champions Summit | Minute Maid Park Houston
“To help us facilitate and become that innovative powerhouse you know, technology that’s going to help people across the board – us from a facilities standpoint, a real estate standpoint, we’ve got to show our value by implementing things like iOFFICE.” – Steven Hinkle, The Hershey Company
Jill Christensen | Best-selling author and international keynote speaker
“You know, we know that engaged workers stay longer, they’re more creative, they’re great ambassadors for your brand, and another thing, when you have an amazing workplace culture it is absolutely a differentiator in the marketplace.”
Jill Christensen has trotted around the globe helping to bridge the gap between senior leaders and employees, and transforming workplace cultures. Her best-selling novel tackles these issues head on, and we were thrilled to have her speak at both the Workplace Champions Summit and on our podcast.
A common theme in Jill’s message, and a misconception she sees often in companies, is that employee engagement doesn’t need to be difficult. It’s about listening and delivering what your team needs. A company should strive to understand if they meet their employees basic human needs, and in turn, they will continue to feel an emotional connection to your organization.
She mentions the renowned Richard Branson during our discussion and how he has said he puts his people first, because they then will put his company first. It becomes immediately apparent when an employee is supported, because the work they produce is felt by the customer as well. Listening and actively including your workforce in decisions that impact them makes them feel important and often they will go beyond the call of duty. The world of work is no longer just about customer satisfaction, it’s about employee satisfaction which supports everything else in an organization.
