Want a World Famous Credit Union?

If you’ve never visited a Texas Roadhouse in your travels, you need to do so.  You won’t leave without a smile.  Servers, cooks, and hostesses dance in the aisles, peanut dust is at your feet, and the employees are smiling ear to ear-not because they have to, because it’s true what the back of their t-shirts say- (“I love my job”).

Texas Roadhouse is a great model to all industries. They believe their success depends on their culture and recognizing and celebrating the people they hire will promote that culture. They know their “front-line” staff will build clientele and profit margins.  A recent company report showed 70 percent of revenue derived from guests who eat with Texas Roadhouse more than twice a month had 89 percent intent to return rate among first-time guests.

Another industry continually creating culture takes place in Seattle Washington at the World Famous Pikes Place Fish Market. Customers walk away with an unforgettable experience whether they purchase a fish or not. A young employee came up with the idea for Pikes Place to be “World Famous”.  They decided to make this crazy idea their vision and they did. This is because employees are empowered to be creative. Because they feel part of something, they take personal responsibility for profit.  To this day, Pikes Place still has yet to spend a dime on advertising.

What these two companies have in common is empowerment to their employees through deep respect and appreciation. Their focus is also on employee happiness vs. solely the guest.

Want to have a “World Famous” credit union? Here are 6 ways to start:

1. Be an example and reflection of your credit union’s values and principles
2. Make all employees also feel like ‘owners’ of your credit union
3. Request their ideas and feedback (as equals) and let employees know their voice matters
4. Create a positive up beat environment where energy is directed towards reaching goals
5. Develop employee potential. Employees that feel valued and appreciated, will take ownership of their work and seek new opportunities to grow. This will also benefit your credit union and your members.
6. Establish positive relationships with your employees by developing trust.  People who have trust within their organization will be more productive, more creative, will take risks, and solve problems.

Bottom Line: The most important thing you can provide an employee is not a job. Its  self-respect and empowerment. It’s also the easiest thing to provide. Creating culture within your credit union empowers your employees to be a part of your future and letting them help create that future will make a difference to everyone.