The “Hidden Thief” Within—Disengaged Employees

While the image of the disengaged employee was captured by the actor Ron Livingston in his portrayal of “Peter Gibbons” in the movie Office Space, spotting this hidden thief within your organization may not be quite that easy. Gallup recently found that almost 70% of all workers are not actively engaged at work. These workers are costing their respective companies millions. However, they are not always to blame. I believe a large number of organizations may prevent this from happening by having a strategy that is well defined and helps tackle this costly issue. The down turn in the economy has given rise to the worker that has mentally checked out but is still collecting a paycheck. What can you do? How do you spot a disengaged worker and turn things around before it’s too late?

Here is a little insight, splashed with some humor, into 5 things that indicate your employee might be disengaged. Enjoy!

A Case For The Over 55 Salesperson

I’m hearing, reading and getting more comments about companies not wanting to hire “older” salespeople. No one over 55 is desired for sales because the belief is that “they can’t keep up with the younger generations.” “They are a health insurance liability.” Help me here. How is “keeping up” defined? Since when is energy level a function of age? Agreed, there is some natural slowing physically. But so what? Since when does selling successfully mean only high energy?

Energy level is worthless if you can’t get to work on time and it doesn’t bother you. Style is meaningless if traveling and prospecting is demeaning to you. Urgency is a deterrent if your customer is lower energy. Competitiveness is foreign if you always “won” and got a trophy because you simply showed up! All this behavioral emphasis when other factors are far more important for sales success. Like values, experience and attitudes. Especially attitude! You know those personal skills honed by time.

Oh yeah, you may also hear…“those boomers are not ‘wired’.” “They’re not computer savvy.” Does savvy mean sending endless inane texts so I don’t have to speak to anyone? Is that how relationships are built? Is my value defined in terms of the dexterity of my thumbs?

I have spent extra time becoming more computer proficient and Internet savvy. Many other ‘over 55’ sales professionals and I have embraced electronic marketing, selling, as well as blogging. And, while at times I have felt frustrated and wanted to resort to my “always ready” legal pad, I know success demands I use these tools.

You want speed or rapport? Knowing what to do when is more valuable than behavior. Having well developed values, personal skills, knowledge, and real world involvement is more productive than a fast rookie. Not that rookies should be avoided. However, professional, experienced salespeople should be welcomed and valued also. Especially when they WANT to sell! And CAN! And bring unique value others can’t.

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Eliminate or Cultivate

As we experience another period of economic downturn, we see companies reacting to conditions in some surprising ways. They dismiss salespeople, apparently thinking that this source of new business has less significance when selling is tougher. Isn't this the same faulty tactic as not fixing the roof after the rain has stopped?

The necessity of building trust and value is never more important than in tough times.

Qualifying, questioning and uncovering dominant needs, desires and wishes, positioning your value proposition, building trust and value, and asking for commitment are even more critical in tough times. Surely, you want to hold on to those best prepared to perform these duties. This is not the time to "internalize" selling; those least familiar with professional selling are certainly not going to be as effective. Unless, of course, your sales team is ineffective to begin with (another blog post).

Top organizations - those with clear strategies and people who believe in the mission and in their ability to carry out these strategies - remain successful. They use "down" time to sharpen skills, attract top talent and strengthen their market position.

Our practice centers on these top companies, who have maintained or increased attention to the further development of their sales teams. They know the benefits of cultivation rather than elimination, especially in tough times.

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The First 30 Days and Beyond…

In my last blog, I talked about some good pre-employment screening ideas. Let's continue on that theme and talk about the orientation process. The first 90 days for a new employee are critical for the long-term success of a new associate and their respective organization. It also provides a road map for success (or failure) of that new sales person.

Here are some things to think about as you bring on new associates.

1. Before a new hire's official first day, start to send them emails to their home email about important notes and meetings. Additionally, if you use blast voicemail distribution, add that person to the voicemail list so they can hear some of the prior week's messages on their first day. This will give them a chance to get a feel for what is going on.
2. Order and have ready many (if not all) of the items they need. On my first day at The Brooks Group, my office was set up. I had my cell phone, laptop, instructions for voicemail and email, business cards, as well as office supplies. What a great feeling! Show your new team member that you took the time to prepare for their arrival.
3. Set clear and objective short-term expectations. For example, our Assessments for hiring and coaching are probably the most critical offering we have. It was made very clear to me not only during the interview process, but during my first week, I needed to obtain my certifications in these products and processes. Understanding their importance, I made gaining my certification my first concrete goal to achieve.
4. One thing I have come to appreciate about The Brooks Group is the variety of skills and facilitation styles possessed by members of the team. I learn something new from each of the salespeople almost everyday. There is a benefit to not having a new hire sit-in on sales calls with the same person all the time. Mix things up a bit. People learn more new things from different personalities.
5. Do not expect a new sales person to reach the same sales objectives as your most seasoned veterans. A season vet should make and exceed a higher goal each year. For a new person to be given the same goal as an eight-year veteran is not realistic in most industries. Giving a new team member an unattainable goal can be very daunting and may carry negatively for a long time to come. On the other hand, giving a new team member a realistic and exciting goal builds confidence and enthusiasm.

In closing, if you have been around a while, you know this economic situation is just a part of a cycle and it will pick up again. Ask your self this question: If it takes one year or 18 months to get a new person up and running in a market or industry, is now the time to hire someone in time for the economy when it picks up again?