| It may surprise you to learn that Southwest Airlines is the most unionized airline, with 85% of its employees in unions. Yet the airline has a reputation for amicable relations, and its work rules are remarkably flexible; it’s not unusual to see a pilot help clean a plane to ready it for it snext flight. What’s the deal you say – “Lemme it put it this way”, a union leader told the Wall Street Journal in 1992. “How many CEO’s do you know who come in to the cleaners’ break room at 3 a.m. on a Sunday passig out doughnuts or putting on a pair of coveralls to clean a plane?” Employee relations lie behind the secret to Southwest’s Customer relations. Well-treated employees translate to well-treated customers and over the top customer satisfaction ratings. What have you done lately to let your staff know how important they are? With a little ingenuity its probably easier than showing up at 3 a.m. with doughnuts to clean an airplane, give it a try and see what happens. |
