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Over the course of a workday, it’s easy to spend your time putting out fires—we’ve all been there. This type of reactionary management results in a feeling of disconnection and chaos for everyone from the workforce to customers. Focusing on your company’s original vision can create a synergy that connects your staff, your customers, and the community you serve.
It is possible to create a culture of purpose in your workforce and maintain a positive and engaging reputation in the marketplace, but this will require your executive team to stay true to the original motivation you had in your mind and heart when you began your journey into the world of business .
Related: Embrace your purpose as a path to success
1. Capture the best employees during the interview
Leadership and staff can work together to discover common ground and agree on goals, but this process begins in the conversation. One of the best indicators of loyalty is a candidate’s desire to focus on meaningful work.
I run my company as a blind CEO. When I interview a candidate, I above all want to know why he wants to work for me. I’m always shocked when job seekers reveal they’ve never been to the website, unlike those who are excited to share why they feel connected to our mission. When I interview a candidate, it’s often the vulnerability in their answers that speaks to me. Sometimes the person I am interviewing tells me about a disability or personal limitation, which for me is an act of openness and transparency. I love hearing people say they are passionate about working in a challenging environment. When our conversation begins, I’m listening to a story.
What many candidates don’t know is that the interviewer is waiting for them to have their breakout moment. This departure from the usual questions and answers often reveals their passion for the work or their vulnerability.
It’s important to make sure your interview questions allow you to see a potential employee’s connection to your mission. You can start by asking candidates what measurable impact they would like to have in the position being offered. You can also find out how they imagine their working life in five years.
2. Create a culture of engagement
Doing purposeful work means the executive team needs to create learning opportunities for staff and customers, extending engagement with the business beyond “business hours.” This is an opportunity to show your team and your customers that their needs matter beyond the job description or the product or service you offer.
Having a corporate reputation as a company that develops new leaders and supports hard work and ambition will go a long way in retaining good team members with the experience needed to innovate, create and energize your workforce. Whether it’s a team meeting or a company retreat, it’s important to bring staff together, allowing employees from different departments and positions to collaborate, exchange ideas, become leaders and support each other.
This type of change can start by simply reassigning tasks or creating challenges that give employees a chance to soar. You can take some projects off the administrative assistant’s plate or reassign some to-do list items to a staff member who has shown initiative. A team member might send meeting invitations or reminders to committee members from a list of objectives. A staff member might also create a committee to help plan a company event and carry it out.
Keep an eye out for employees who stand out and give them the opportunity to be seen as experts. Let some be consultants, coaches, or provide support to other team members. This will make staff feel recognized and encourage others to reach that purposeful level. This type of support will give you a “pool” of potential leaders, helping your team members feel like their contributions are noticed and rewarded.
Related: 3 Reasons Why a Strong Purpose is a Good Business Idea
3. Build a positive online reputation for your business
While you can never eliminate negative reviews, the best approach to a positive business reputation is to actively implement a variety of ways to obtain reviews from both employees and customers. Even though an estimated 99% of customers read reviews from time to time, only 13% would choose a product or service from a company with a two-star rating.
There are several proven ways to generate positive reviews. The process can be as simple as using comment cards. You can also ask the customer for an email address. Some companies have a physical “register”; others have an email link where people can log in and provide this information. From there, it’s easy to follow up and ask for a rating or comment. Other stores offer rewards in exchange for reviews. This offer is usually visible on banners or signs inside the physical store, on the receipt (physical or via email) or on the company’s home page. Some companies use a QR code that takes you directly to the online review location; you’ve probably seen an in-store kiosk that allows for instant feedback.
Another way to generate rave reviews is to get endorsements or recommendations from companies you’ve worked with over the years. These allies can speak to important attributes of your company that go beyond a rating system or a quick comment, and can drive traffic to your website and new customers who respond to the positive vibes.
The mantra “If you don’t ask, you don’t get” works well here. There are more ways than ever to get positive feedback for your business thanks to evolving technology. Rather than running away from the corporate fear of receiving bad reviews, commit to seeking out and obtaining the best reviews by involving the community in the process.
You can improve your company’s reputation by finding new ways to engage your workforce and the people you serve. By promoting exceptional employees, offering training and leadership opportunities, and prioritizing positive feedback, your company can stop putting out fires and start basking in the culture of purpose you’ve always wanted.