I'm not sure everyone wants to be loved. But I'm certain everyone wants to feel important. To feel needed.
I'm also sure that people perform a lot better if they feel their jobs are important. And the best way to make an employee feel his job is important is to devote time to train him to do that job.
When an employee receives thorough training, understands exactly what is expected of her, why her job is important, where it fits in the company's overall performance, and how it meshes with the other jobs right and left, it makes an employee feel important.
Self-importance breeds self-respect, and self-respect breeds pride.
People who are proud of their jobs perform better than people who aren't. It's a mistake to believe a job or a title creates pride. Pride comes from knowing your job is important and that you're really good at it.
I read recently that training budgets are down 25% in the last three years. I don't know who keeps score on such things, but, if it's true, I know it's a mistake.
Everyone's more productive when she knows what she's supposed to do, how to do it well, and why that's important.
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