Employees First!: Inspire, Engage, and Focus on the Heart of Your Organization

by Donna Cutting, Jeffrey W. Hayzlett (Foreword by)

Overview

"You provide a red-carpet treatment for your employees and they’ll reward you with their effort, time, and loyalty."- Jeffrey W. Hayzlett

The world is changing and it’s time to reimagine and reshape your employee experience. Take care of the people who take care of your customers.

How do we get an hourly employee who has never received red carpet customer service, to give it? The answer is obvious, isn’t it? You roll out the red carpet for them, of course.

Employees First! presents recognition strategies and appreciation techniques, but it goes deeper than that. You will learn how giving your team members a voice in your company, supporting them with knowledge and training, giving them purpose and equitable pay, translates into higher productivity and happier customers. Discover what real empowerment is, and why building a diverse culture of inclusion is beneficial to all involved.

Donna shares many tried and true ideas for rolling out the red carpet for your new hires and keeping it out for the long term, as well as tips on how to foster a culture of kindness and create space for coworkers to lift each other up. Most of all, you’ll gain strategies for honoring the very people who make your company what it is—your internal customers—your team.

Employees First! will help you:

• Provide Your Team with a Sense of Purpose
• Cultivate Kindness and Compassion at Work
• Improve Informational, Interpersonal, and Inspirational Communication
• Encourage Diversity and Inclusion
• Compensate Fairly without Breaking the Bank
• Keep Your Remote Team Connected

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781632652003
Publisher:	Red Wheel/Weiser
Publication date:	04/01/2022
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Donna Cutting, CSP is the author of The Celebrity Experience and 501 Ways to Roll Out the Red Carpet for Your Customers. She has been named one of the Top 30 Global Gurus in Customer Service (2020, 2021) and in Organizational Culture (2021). The Founder and CEO of Red-Carpet Learning Systems, Inc., she helps organizational leaders turn prospects into customers and customers into raving fans. More info can be found at redcarpetlearning.com.
 

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 Give Them Something to Care About 1

Chapter 2 Show Them Authentic Appreciation 21

Chapter 3 Cultivate a Culture of Kindness and … 41

Chapter 4 Roll Out the Red Carpet on Day One 71

Chapter 5 Start Spreading the News 85

Chapter 6 Create a Culture in which Everyone Is Welcome 107

Chapter 7 Get Creative with Compensation 145

Chapter 8 Champion Workplace Wellness 165

Chapter 9 Create a Safe Space 183

Chapter 10 Keep Your Remote Team Connected 197

What's Next? 211

Chapter Notes 215

Resources 221

Acknowledgments 223

Editorial Reviews

Donna Cutting’s Employees First! is authentic, powerful, and relatable. In this must-read, she tells a story of experience, empowerment, and leadership that will resonate with you as we navigate a pandemic and the many shifts that now exist in the workplace. There couldn’t be a better time for this book to hit the shelf!” 

Dr. Simon T. Bailey

Employees First! isn't just a book, it's a call for organizations around the world to create a place where people genuinely WANT not NEED to go to work. This is your guide on how to create a more inclusive, compassionate, and purposeful culture. If you're serious about putting people first, then you need this book!” 

Jacob Morgan

Uplifting Service is about more than customer service. It's about how your organization creates value by serving everyone – especially your employees! Donna Cutting's new book is filled with compelling stories, actionable strategies, and tremendous heart. Employees First! will help you build a winning service culture with inspired team members who serve better, care more, and love life!” 

Ron Kaufman

Employees First! is a must-read for anyone running an organization. Cutting has done an incredible job outlining what it takes to create a culture where your employees feel valued and as a result are more engaged with and excited about the work they are doing with your company.  It's an easy read with practical advice that will absolutely get you thinking about how to improve your company.” 

JJ Ramberg

In the hotel industry, when you roll out the red carpet for your associates, they will do the same for your guests. Donna Cutting's book Employee's First! is a heartfelt plea to create a culture of compassion and care and is your guide to the workplace of the future. A must-read for the entire team!” 

Rupesh Patel

From the Foreword:
"You provide a red-carpet treatment for your employees and they’ll reward you with their effort, time, and loyalty." 

Jeffrey W. Hayzlett

Donna Cutting gets it! Creating a place where people want to work is less about strategy and programs and more about speaking to humanity. It's about fostering a culture of curiosity, inclusiveness, respect, safety, and empathy. If you're ready to ditch the program mentality and go deeper then read Employees First!” 

Cy Wakeman

Donna has done it yet again, another masterpiece on the importance of customer service but this time as it relates to your employees. Her message could not be more relevant with the workforce crisis employers find themselves in. Read this book, execute upon it, and make employees the heart of your organization rather than its Achilles heel!” 

Traci Bild

Donna Cutting shines new light on the connection between happy employees and a healthy bottom line. Through inspiring stories and real-world examples, she creates a practical path for leaders to maximize the experience for employees and customers alike. Apply the prescriptive advice in these pages to fuel the growth of your people and your organization!” 

Richard Hadden

You can't deliver AMAZING service unless your employees are feeling the love. With Employees First! Donna Cutting gets real about creating a culture that inspires your people to want to give the best service to your customers.” 

Shep Hyken

In order to be successful in this post-pandemic culture, every leader should read and apply the ideas and principles in this book.

Barbara Glanz