The Importance of Investing in Your Employees

I recently saw a quote that really resonated with me. Zig Ziglar said, “You don’t build a business. You build people, and people build the business.” And I couldn’t agree more.

Over the length of my career, I’ve worked for many different companies in a host of roles, and in turn have experienced working for and with a myriad of personalities and working styles. Many of these people and places have recognized that “corporate culture” is something that is vital to attracting and retaining employees, but have completely missed the mark. 

I’ve worked for people and places who have recognized that work/life balance is something that is integral to an employee’s happiness and well-being, but who in the next breath have criticized that person for leaving early or taking time off (I personally experienced this when my Grandfather was dying). 

It should be a no-brainer that unhappy and unengaged employees are absolutely toxic for your company. But it’s not just about someone who’s mopey or snappy, or badmouthing the business. It’s costing you money. According to a Gallup poll, unhappy employees cost anywhere from $450 to $550 billion a year due to lost productivity. That’s not exactly chump change.

On the flip side, the same poll reports that companies that actively engage their employees saw the following effects:

• 17% higher productivity
• 21% higher profitability
• 10% higher customer satisfaction
• 41% lower absenteeism
• 24% less turnover (in high-turnover organizations)
• 59% less turnover (in low-turnover organizations)
• 70% fewer safety incidents
• 40% fewer defects and quality issues

And this infographic from Revel Systems says it all: 

The bottom line is this: the happiness of your employees can make or break your business. And investing in them makes all the difference in the world, especially in an industry like marketing that’s constantly evolving. Beyond supporting engagement, company culture, and a healthy work/life balance, it’s critical for companies to encourage employees to increase their knowledge, because if you aren’t learning, you aren’t growing.

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Together Digital National Conference. Together Digital is a professional and social community of women in digital who are connected by their desire to empower each other, and the conference was two days filled with keynotes, workshops, and networking with some pretty amazing women within the industry. 

In one personal development workshop I attended, presenter Liz Simpson delivered a powerful message for women in business: believe in the power of YOU. Take up space and know that you deserve to be in that boardroom or on that sales pitch or presenting that deck. She joked, “Drake started from the bottom. Don’t be like Drake.” Which, of course, drew plenty of laughs from the women in attendance. But it had a very important underlying message, which is know your worth and own it. Convey it constantly.

Attending the conference was something that my company not only suggest I do, but wholeheartedly supported and even foot the bill for. And beyond the obvious professional growth it allowed me, it personally boosted my belief in my own abilities and made me take a step back and appreciate the valuable work I’m doing for KPITarget. It allowed me the opportunity to build a deeper connection with a colleague that I know will strengthen our awesome ability to kick butt together.

Cindy David, EVP Chief Digital Marketing Officer at L Brands, gave us her twist on a classic Madeleine Albright quote during the conference: “There’s a special place in heaven for women who support women.” And I’d like to further that by saying, there’s a special place in heaven for companies that invest in their employees. Show interest, trust them, communicate freely, and support them however you can as often as you can. I promise it will pay off–for both of you.

If you’d like to chat more about corporate culture in marketing, please contact me: jordan@kpitarget.com.