Say Hello! 4 Resons To Be An Engaged Leader!

As business leaders, we strive to build natural and genuine relationships with our workforce, ideally to empower them, as people within the organization, and, in a collective sense, to demonstrate to each individual that the organization, as an entity, recognizes and appreciates … everyone. 

One small way to do that, every day, is to simply say: 

Hello!

With one word, a leader can show an entire workforce, one employee at a time, that their individual contributions are appreciated, and so are they! Saying “Hello” or “hi” or “good morning” or “how’s your day” says so much more to an employee than the obvious. It opens doors and starts conversations. Leaders should do it, managers and supervisors should as well – and really, the entire organization should be one of saying, Hello.

It can be uncomfortable, of course, for some leaders and employees. It may not feel an easy task to do, at times, to speak to people we don’t know very well, even if they are colleagues in the same organization. For leaders, though, saying Hello is part of the role.

Every leader of every organization should be able to say Hello – and mean it. 

While, arguably, saying Hello to employees might seem a small gesture, it has a big impact. When supervisors and managers greet their team members daily, it builds trust and shows emotional intelligence, contributing greatly to an employee’s sense of belonging. A warm welcome sets the tone for a psychologically safe company culture, one that demonstrates care camaraderie. Saying Hello builds rapport and nurtures a supportive work environment. 

Here's 4 reasons business owners should say: Hello!

• Better Employee Experiences Build Businesses: Business leaders should actively prioritize engaging with teams to support employee retention and performance. Employees who feel appreciated and acknowledged are more likely to remain with an organization and be more productive and positive in the process. That positivity leads to better customer experiences, which can result in increased sales and profitability for the entire organization.
• Better Employee Connections Build Culture: Communication is a part of any business leader’s job – period. By starting with Hello and presenting to employees as approachable and transparent, a business leader models respectful behavior, which sets the tone for the organization. If the CEO of a company says Hello to everyone, it encourages others to do the same and, in the process, a human connectedness permeates the work culture – all from one little word, that can be uttered in the hallway, in the parking lot, or while getting coffee. 
• An Engaged Workforce Works Better: Companies with the highest rates of employee engagement are 21% more profitable than their peers and employees with the highest levels of engagement are 87% less likely to voluntarily leave their employer. Additionally, 69% of employees report that they’d work harder if they felt better appreciated at work, and 37% of employees consider recognition the most important factor for job satisfaction. These statistics, presented by career research entity Zippia, demonstrates that appreciated employees actively engage at work. This engagement can start with a simple, Hello!
• Engaging Employees Engages Positivity: Complacent leadership is the top reason employees report feeling disengaged at work. According to statistics by Zippia, 58% of American workers say that their company’s leadership is either not proactive or takes no action regarding culture. Additionally, only 9% of workers say that their leadership is committed to culture initiatives. When leadership engages with workers, everyone wins – the company, the business leader and the employee. Make it a point to not be a complacent leader! Say Hello! Remember the names of your employees – and their family members. Make your employees your greatest area of interest when you are on the job. Remember, your employees are human beings, and they will respond positively to intentional behaviors that demonstrate you, as a workplace leader, care.

Remember, as a business leader, it is your job to communicate with your workforce. Being a communicative leader builds trust and shows enthusiasm. It also sets clear expectations of the behavior and boundaries your organization values for its employee experience. It doesn’t have to take up much of your time, or even preparation. You just have to say: Hello!