Being 'heard' is an incredibly powerful motivator, fulfilling two or more of the top needs identified by Maslow. SHRP struggled for a toe-hold in Houston's economy. Employees would grumble, "If they would only do 'X,' then we would draw more customers!' There was, initially, no system in place for these suggestions to filter up or down. After almost a year, management decided to listen to what their front-line employees were saying, and did so in a remarkable way. A front-line employee from each department (elected by their own department) was asked to serve on a 6-month Employee Round Table (ERT). The ERT was given a budget, a facilitator, and a mission: to increase attendance and/or revenue to SHRP. Every six months the ERT submitted a proposal (narrowing the field to one) including its full business plan attributes to management who would then implement the plan. The employees had a voice, and it was heard! …
