“Great leaders make the world a better place; they are willing to do what it takes, make the necessary sacrifices, and rally others to do the same.”

The Critical Importance Our Work Plays in Our Meaning and Purpose

A study of Shell Oil employees found that those who retired at 55 and lived to be 65 died 37 percent sooner than those who retired at 65. And in general, people who retire at 55 are 89 percent more likely to die within ten years than those who retire at 65. Men who retire at 62 have a 20 percent higher likelihood of death than the general population. These statistics are alarming. It does show how important the role our professional careers play in our sense of purpose and mortality.

The Currency for Younger Generations Is Purpose

Millennials and Gen Zers indeed pose unique challenges for businesses. Companies need to understand what motivates these younger adults. Leaders love to complain about how difficult it is to employ these generations, blaming them for poor customer service—which is funny because a significant percentage of these leaders are the ones who raised them.

John’s experience as an employer has been the opposite. He has found that in The DiJulius Group, John Robert’s Spa, and Believe in Dreams, where we have a large percentage of millennials and Gen Z employees, this group consistently delivers outstanding customer service. In many cases, they are better at delivering genuine hospitality than older generations who grew up with less technology and, therefore, had more face-to-face human interactions.

“People work hard for a paycheck, they work harder for a good boss, and they work hardest for a meaningful purpose. This happens when team members feel that their work enhances the quality of lives around them.”

In a survey conducted by Bentley University, 84 percent of millennials said that making a positive difference in the world is more important to them than professional recognition. Similarly, in a Society for Human Resource Management study, 94 percent of millennials said they want to use their skills to benefit a cause.

Why do some companies have a large, unmotivated, and apathetic workforce, while other excellent companies boast a workforce willing to make ridiculous sacrifices to achieve insane customer loyalty? One answer may be that they select better candidates. However, we believe only a small fraction of people are born with “service DNA.” Great companies with great leaders build a strong, uncompromising culture responsible for creating an engaged workforce.

When it comes to the younger generations, it’s important to know they’re not interested in trading hours for dollars. They want to be part of something big, part of a purpose. Think of companies like Chick-fil-A, Apple, The Ritz-Carlton, Apple, Chewy, Starbucks, and Disney. All these companies employ the dreaded millennials and Zs, yet at these brands, they are fully engaged in their work. The businesses that tie job responsibilities to an overall purpose and a bigger vision get incredible results from these generations—and from the rest of their employees.

“Each of us, truly, has been built to make history.”

—Robin Sharma, author

Make Every Team Member Understand How Their Job Impacts Customers’ Lives

In most businesses, customer-facing employees typically get the recognition and glory. These include account executives, IT techs, consultants, doctors, lawyers, and accountants. However, those we refer to as invisible service providers—support teams, admins, receptionists, contact center employees, warehouse workers, and back-office employees—are rarely praised for their role in the customer experience. Yet for the highest levels of employee engagement and job satisfaction, it’s crucial that business leaders make every team member understand how their job impacts customers’ lives.

Regardless of their position, whether as a customer-facing employee or working behind the scenes, every human wants to know their hard work contributes to something impactful that goes beyond business outcomes. Ignoring this fact is one of the biggest mistakes companies make. All employees tend to thrive on meaningful feedback, sometimes even more than monetary rewards, and their dedication (or lack thereof) strongly impacts the overall quality of customer experience and company reputation. “People want to be part of something larger than themselves. They want to be part of something they are proud of, that they’ll fight for, sacrifice for, that they trust,” says Howard Schultz, former president and CEO of Starbucks. The feeling of making a difference is a key part of a positive work culture.

**Register Now to Create Signature Experience Journey Maps That Retain Your Customers and Employees**

During these livestream workshops, The DiJulius Group will guide you in creating a distinct brand experience that will keep your customers and employees engaged.

What’s Included:

Registration for two workshops, up to 5 team members at one price, $249
Full access to both workshops. You will work on building your Customer experience journey map during the Oct. 28th event and your Employee experience journey map on Nov. 4th.
Digital workbooks for each workshop with download for each registrant
Replay of both workshops, post event, with 4 weeks access to each
Support post-event; you will have access to a live one hour zoom Q&A one week post event to ensure you are implementing properly