Positive Environment Can Move Company Forward

Whether you call it optimism or positive thinking, if your people have it, your company is more likely to be successful.

Big organizations know these attributes can’t actually be measured. Instead, they depend on worker engagement scores gathered by consultants who interview staff members. They ask such questions as: Does your boss support you in getting your job done? Do you have a best friend at work? Then they analyze the results.

They find a direct link between employee engagement and the profit picture. According to Business Week, a 2 percent rise in employee engagement corresponded to a $100,000 annual rise in sales at one major employer.

Making people more hopeful for the future is one key to engagement. The more optimistic people are, the better their problem solving ability and coping mechanisms will be.

At Campbell Soup, an assault on pessimism by new CEO Douglas Conant turned the company’s fortunes around. Beginning in 2001, he gave every employee a manual that explained how he operated. He replaced various company leaders with people who agreed with him, and he became very serious about dealing with employee complaints.

Conant knew that in order to win in the marketplace, he had to first win in the workplace. Among other steps, he upgraded a recognition program that showered gifts and awards on high performers, and he sent handwritten thank-you notes to employees. Today, Campbell’s employee engagement scores are among the highest in the country and its earnings growth is high as well.

Providing a positive outlook helps to retain good workers. A survey by The Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that many employees in the United States are just biding their time at their present jobs while looking for something better, probably a place where they have faith in the company’s future and where they think their work will be appreciated.

When the economy picks up, some people will move to new employers. If you can demonstrate caring and a positive outlook, yours won’t be among them.

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