Time for a quick reality check: when a co-worker walks into your office with a request, do you treat him as well as you would like to be treated? Or as well as new client you’re trying to land?

Really?

If so, no need to read this post – you’re already treating employees as well as customers. But if you hesitated in your response (even for a fraction of a second), you need to read this.

When organizational leaders like you apply the “golden rule” to the way they treat employees, it’s more than polite or good etiquette. It’s great for business – improving motivation, productivity, loyalty and even your bottom line.

But while enhancing your employees’ work experience isn’t rocket science, it does require a focused approach to yield the results you want. Below, you’ll find four ways to apply the “golden rule” and improve your staff’s work experience (boosting your business in the process):

Understand what a great experience really means.

In other words, know what matters to your employees. Whether it’s a front-line worker or a mid-level manager, people typically look for the following essential elements at work:

• Clear, honest, respectful communication in all forms (even when work becomes challenging).
• On-time delivery. People in your organization should honor their commitments, doing what they say they will do, when they say they’ll do it.
• A commitment to excellent internal customer service. Employees in your organization should take as much pride and care in serving one another as they do in serving the needs of your external customers.

If you’re unsure what matters most to employees, just ask them! Conduct an anonymous survey to encourage candid feedback. Make it clear how the information will be used, and provide employees with an overview of what you learn and plan to implement.

Build trust.

Trust creates a solid foundation upon which to build a great culture. Read this earlier post on fostering employee trust to drive innovation, efficiency and retention in your organization.

Find ways to make employees look good.

How would you feel if one of your peers went to your boss to tell him what a great job you’re doing? Pretty great, right? Not surprisingly, your employees would feel the same way. So be the start of something great in your organization. Find ways to: support your employees’ success; make their jobs easier; and make them look great (internally and externally).

Provide the support they need.

When your staff has adequate support, they’re free to do their best work. Whether it’s a single temporary for a day or an entire project team, Exact Staff provides a range of staffing and placement services to increase motivation, improve productivity and create a healthier bottom line.