Company Blog

Idea of the Month: Card Me

by Adam Zack — May 11, 2016

Wow! I’m really part of the company now!

Bob LaBonne, owner of LaBonne’s in Connecticut emailed me after last week’s blog with ideas on how he is constantly striving to improve the employee experience at his stores. Part of what he sent was a chart comparing the top 10 things that employees want from their jobs compared to what managers most want. It is a great topic for another blog and is both eye opening and not surprising (how’s that for a contradicting statement?). The number one thing that is most important to employees is full appreciation for work done – nothing more than recognition and thank you – so easy and costs nothing. The second is a feeling of being “in on things” – keeping them informed.

So that got me thinking of a very affordable and effective way to make employees feel important, empowered and an integral part of the team. The Business Card: a typical business card for every key carrier, supervisor and higher up with their name’s printed on it, and an atypical business card for all other employees with a blank space for them to write in their name. These cards should be part of everyone’s uniform. The card should have the store logo, address, phone number, website and appropriate email address (contactus@AdamsFoods.com or something similar). It can have store hours or something unique you’d want to share. The back-side will have your mission statement. You encourage your team to always have their business cards on hand and to actively pass them out to customers. (I’m Adam, here’s my card. Our website is listed and you can find the recipe for the chicken paprikash there.) Or they can use it as a store information piece when they encounter someone who may be looking for a job, a vendor with an interesting product or a person looking for a new place to shop.

The bottom line is that it makes the person carrying the card feel special and a real part of the company. They brag to their friends and family how they have a card. It’s an unreal sense of achievement and belonging. I remember about 30 years ago when I got my first business card with my name printed on it. Wow, I was really part of the company now! Top of the world, Ma!