ALEXANDRIA, Va. – What do your employees think of you? The answer may matter more than you think. As manager, you know what needs to be done, but all too often, you forget to ask your employees for their input. It’s important to listen because when your team members have a superior they can trust and look up to, they are much more likely to display improved job performance. For the benefit of both your employees and your business, perception matters.

The NACS Coca-Cola Retailing Research Council (NACS/CCRRC) is releasing a study on employee engagement in convenience retail that will be distributed in three parts. The first part of the “Power Up Employee Engagement” video series was released last week, and this week the council is releasing the second video that reveals what managers did when they learned how their teams saw them. The most common (and surprising) piece of feedback? They needed to listen. These managers used the feedback to change how they interact with their direct reports, but it didn’t stop there. In this clip, you’ll see the different ways they engaged with their employees on a more personal level. Key learnings include:

• Know how you’re perceived by your employees
• Ask them for feedback
• Listen to their answers
• Be willing to change and act based on their feedback

The three parts of the NACS/CCRRC study include:

• A series of six videos from convenience retailers who took part in the NACS Leadership Challenge. They discuss how employee engagement grew their business, providing real tips by retailers, for retailers. Watch the first video here. A new one will be posted every Monday through early April.
• A narrated PowerPoint by Dr. Blake Frank, a management professor at the University of Dallas, about the power of employee engagement. This will be available in April.
• A full quantitative study that speaks to the importance of employee engagement while providing insights retailers can use in their own stores. The quantitative study will be released in June.

Look for more information on this study in upcoming editions of NACS Daily and NACS Magazine.