For those of you who are in the business of selling services, you know that the quality of your services are dependent on the quality of employees performing them. Just as companies invest in research, development and technology to advance their business, so should they be investing in their people.

Fostering strong, healthy relationships with employees helps your organization offer a better and stronger service to your clients.

Adding value. Convincing stakeholders internal communication and employee engagement initiatives are critical to remain competitive can be challenging. Yet, the return on investment is obvious. Companies with more engaged employees boast higher retention rates, lower recruiting costs, lower rates of absenteeism and improved quality of service. All of that ultimately drives the bottom line.

Building engagement. Employees who understand the value of what they do are more likely to perform their duties well. Share with your employees how meaningful their work is and the impact their contribution have on your customers. Ensure a continuous, transparent and concerned communication with your staff. It will go a long way in building engagement and loyalty.

In some industries such as pre-board security screening, there is no room for error. Some tasks can be repetitive, and employees are expected to work quickly in order to limit passenger’s waiting time at the security checkpoints. In that dynamic environment, it can be easy to forget the end goal is passengers’ safety. At GardaWorld, transparent communication, engagement activities and recognition initiatives have proven results in keeping employees knowledgeable, vigilant and committed. The result is superior safety and security at our airports, which our client entrusts our team with every day.

Rewarding great achievements. Every employee, at any level, in any organization, needs recognition. It’s simply how the human nature is. And there are plenty of reasons to recognize your staff: a positive customer review, a great idea or initiative that bolstered continuous improvement, an action that was above and beyond the line of duty, a strong commitment to excellence, etc.

Depending on the size of an organization, options range from informal and punctual thoughtful gestures to a well-oiled recognition program. At GardaWorld, our exemplary screening officers are recognized monthly through our Stars program – they are nominated by their peers, elected by a local Committee and presented with their awards by a high level manager. Their story is shared on their exclusive online portal as promoting winners internally encourages a healthy competition and boosts morale.

Making a difference. Our team firmly believes internal communication makes a difference in the lives of our employees by improving their work atmosphere. Sharing transparent information with the staff and deploying employee engagement activities shows your employees that you are ready to go the extra mile for them. In 2015, Toronto hosted the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, which made Canada’s busiest airport even busier, threatening to put a real strain on our airport staff. Our team put in extra efforts to ignite pride in our staff, as well as recognize great attendance and performance.

The results were the lowest summer rate of absenteeism in the airport’s history and a sustained high-quality performance despite a new record of passenger’s traffic. Moreover, the absenteeism rate continued to diminish after the Games ended, as people felt proud of their achievements and wanted to continue contributing.