In the early 2000s, we saw the emergence of a different kind of healthy workplace. Suddenly, big tech companies such as Google and Facebook had foosball tables and Nespresso machines, stocked fridges, and free snacks throughout the office. Of course, many businesses still practice this specific business model to captivate and maintain their employees, but it goes much deeper.
Since I started my first business, I haven’t forgotten about my first job. The issues I identified in corporate America, led me to develop our employee-first mission at Solve Clinics. An employee-first mission is more than just free snacks and an exciting workplace: it’s a valuable investment and a relationship-based business model that ultimately leads to success for employees, employers, and customers.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur or business owner maintaining profit is key. But, unlike the popular way of conducting business, I believe that personal and business success should be closely aligned. Over the last few years, I’ve found that most businesses don’t realize the connection between paying their employees well and making money, but like the outdated phrase, ‘happy wife, happy life,’ I live by, ‘happy employees, happy clients.’
Top four ways to engage employees
Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report found that “engaged employees produce better business outcomes than other employees—across the industry, company size, and nationality and in good economic times and bad.” Meaning, that when employees are engaged, businesses triumph.
I believe there are four pillars that lead to a true employee-first engagement model; money matters, take a committed approach; work-life balance; listen more, talk less.
- Money matters: As a business leader, if you compensate your employees at a higher rate than your competitors, you are far more likely to attract stronger talent, which is critical in the current job market. Furthermore, employees are more likely to contribute and show up to work as their absolute best selves if they are paid fairly for their work.
- Take a committed approach: Want to know how to make your employees really care about your business’ success? Revenue sharing. Tie your employee’s success directly to it. As your business flourishes, so do your employee’s potential payout, therefore, it serves them to serve your customer.
- Work-life balance: In 2025, Millennials will make up 75% of the American workforce. Generational divides have always affected workplace dynamics, and with a younger workforce, their values will continue to upheave the accepted business model. One way of doing so is a change from the “always-on” mindset. Millennials value the benefits that a proper work-life balance can bring. Offering abundant PTO and generous 401k packages, along with health and life insurance, is not just a “nice to have”, it’s a demand. If you want your employees to give their best for you, you need to provide the best for them—and that means providing the best opportunities for them to have a fulfilling life, inside and outside the office.
- Listen more, talk less: I’m not sure when it takes place, I’ve never been able to quite put my finger on it, but we’ve all experienced it: there’s a moment when someone moves up the career ladder that they find themselves talking more than listening. Their voice becomes the loudest in the room. And while I’m not discounting anyone’s business acumen and instincts that put them in a leadership position, being the smartest in the room—or thinking that you are—can leave leaders missing out on valuable insight. Everyone, no matter their level, from assistant to the owner, should get a seat at the table. Finding a way to collaborate and truly listen to what your employees are experiencing builds loyalty that you could never buy, which turns into customer loyalty and success.
Client satisfaction with each interaction is much more likely when we’re all equally invested in the customer’s success. Focusing on relationships first and providing a reasonable quality of life, allows business owners to plan for long-term employee and customer loyalty. At Solve Clinics, we are committed to delivering employee satisfaction and establishing a collaborative work environment, which we believe has key factors driving our growth, allowing us to become the top-rated hair transplant clinic in America.
Author: Andrew Kashian, Founder at Solve Clinics