“Arthur, where on earth do you find such great employees for your Chick-fil-A stores?” I hear this a lot, and while I wish they just showed up at our door, that’s not really how it works.
A big piece of the answer lies in how Chick-fil-A operates. Each store is individually owned and operated. Nobody wants their store to succeed more than the owner, after all. This policy means that rather than the owner being some nameless, faceless corporate entity, our employees get to see our bright, shining faces day in, day out (well, except for Sundays).
But There’s More to It
Being in my stores every day gives me the opportunity to create a remarkable experience not only for my customers, but also for my employees. That experience begins when they first come onboard.
- “When is your birthday?”
- “What’s your favorite food?”
- “What’s your favorite thing to do when you’re bored?”
- “What’s the superhero strength you wish you had?”
To my employees, these questions probably seem like nothing more than friendly – or maybe weird – little ice breakers. But they’re much more.
In fact, I tuck this information away and use it against them later! Like on their birthdays and when we celebrate the Employee of the Month… or any other time I spot an opportunity to make my appreciation for my employees clear as day.
For Example, One of My Employees LOVES Popcorn
Her birthday was coming up, and a friend of mine owns a concession stand. We asked her to put together a 55-gallon bag of popcorn. What do you think happened when we presented this gift? It’s safe to assume that girl will never think, ‘My operator doesn’t really care about me,’ because she can always look back on that birthday and know for sure… we care!
We also celebrate an Employee of the Month every month. That star employee gets a special parking spot – and with many companies, that and a pat on the back might be the full extent of the recognition they get.
But That’s Not Enough Around Here!
See, especially in today’s world, there’s no such thing as showing too much appreciation. We want to create a remarkable experience any chance we get. So, we put a gift box or bag together for them, full of their favorite things. Plus, we make a special video to post on our Facebook page and theirs, just to brag on them publicly a little. It’s just one way I can say, “Thank you for working for me!”
Then we try to get permission to visit their school and present the gift in person. The schools here are focused on building pillars of character in their students – and if being awarded Employee of the Month doesn’t support that goal, nothing does.
Can you imagine how it feels having all your friends watch as your boss gives you such a public high-five for an outstanding performance at work? Think that might spur you on to strive for excellence? I’ll tell you, I have the best team members – and cultivating this kind of relationship not only supports my stores in performing well, it also makes it a blast to work there.
Inspiration Is Part of the Recipe
No amount of pleading could make me share our secret recipes for delicious Chick-fil-A food… but if your organization would benefit from an extra serving of inspired leadership, I may be able to help. While I stay pretty busy tending to my two stores, sometimes they do let me out.
If you’d like to have me speak to your organization on topics like this, just message me and we’ll see what we can cook up together. It would be my pleasure!