One Interaction

Anymore, our lives we are all always “busy.”?Busy with work, busy with kids, busy with technology.?We struggle to find time, and when we do, we almost always grab the phone and start scrolling.?The skill or art of engaging face-to-face is quickly becoming a thing of the past.?We are always happy to email, text, or send a Slack message. The hustle and bustle of our days has allowed technology to make talking “convenient,” but we aren’t actually talking.?It's taking away the best part of work, which is human interaction and team member engagement. Even the small gesture of saying “thank you” is becoming extinct.

Now, I am not saying that technology is bad.?I absolutely love it and as a company it allows us to do so many things more efficiently.?I am saying though we cannot let it take over our face-to-face time that our teams need from us.?I also am not saying that every communication must be face-to-face.?I am saying it only takes ONE interaction with a team member, peer, or loved one to make a difference.

At Rhodes, we believe having personal interaction at least ONCE a day is imperative to our teams’ success, and quite frankly, we feel it leads to better retention of our team members. We coach this topic in all areas of our business and the importance of ONE interaction a day.?That one interaction can change the course of one person’s day.?

Imagine, you are heading to work, driving fast, swearing at other drivers. You're probably in a terrible mood.?Your kids may have been crabby or they couldn’t find both shoes. You’re thinking to yourself, "Work is the last place I want to be today." You walk into work on edge and on guard.?Your boss is approaching you. You mentally prepare to battle whatever nonsense comes out of his or her mouth.?Your boss says, “Good morning, I loved how you faced that cooler door last night.?Thank you for paying attention to the details.”?

WHOA!! How did you feel reading that example? I promise you felt the same way the team member felt when experiencing the interaction. Instant relief, the bad morning at home just went away and excitement to be at work grows.?The team member’s productivity increases leading to guest satisfaction and an influx of sales.?

Why did this small gesture affect the team member so deeply??Studies show that face-to-face interactions cause a release of dopamine, oxytocin, and endorphins. Those chemicals are the ingredients of well-being.?The more interactions we encounter, the more chemicals are released and the happier we become.?

Leaders, take note.?One interaction can completely change the course of one team member’s day. It only takes 15 seconds, maybe less. It makes team members want to be a part of your team.?Make a commitment to have ONE positive interaction with your team members every single day. Do the math.?Fifteen seconds or less per person doesn’t take a lot of time.?Your team will thank you for your thoughtfulness.?Your guests will thank you for their positive shopping experience.?Your overall performance score will move in a positive direction.

I would love to make this article more interactive, please drop a note in the comments section with how you make time for ONE interaction every day.?If you’re just starting to implement this habit, let us know if you’re succeeding or struggling with the new routine.?We’d love to hear your feedback.

As always, keep on doing what you love and with the people you love.

-Justin Roth, PAJCO Director of People & Culture?