One of the most important tasks of a great leader is to keep the magic into the company and into every employee. Being working for a big company as WDW, have gave me the opportunity of discovering different ways of keeping the magic that we creative for our guests alive also in ourselves, since sometimes my job as a housekeeper become somehow repetitive, stressful and monotonous.
After almost three months of working as a housekeeper, I have met a lot of people who had been working for the company more that 20 years. I am not going to lie, I am always impressed after heard their stories about how they started and the reason why they are still here and happy. The reason is simple besides that they love their job, the leaders and manager take care of them by recognizing their merits as good employees. Besides that, Disney always give us the option of continue growing and develop ourselves into the company by offering classes and continue education. Our leaders also give away the fanatic card as a recognition and appreciation including trips and food festivals at the work place just for us. However, one of the most important benefits is the seniority that employees created throughout the year giving them priorities over the new hires and college programs.
From the article, Why Do Employees Stay? A Qualitative Exploration of Employee Tenure, I can agree that a lot of the people that I have shared their stories with me stay the DWD is because financial needs to work and their mature or sense of responsibility. At the end being a housekeeper is not an easy job, but a lot of the people who does it at my work place is because their needs and the other half because they love it and have had the opportunity to growth becoming trainers even though they still do their housekeeping role.
I like that you highlight castmember satisfaction, it is as important as guest satisfaction.
I feel this is true because it is the individual castmember that creates the magical moments and it is the individual castmember that supports the goals of leadership and should, in turn, be supported for their efforts.
Take a moment to think about the purpose of the guest fanatic card, how does it motivate castmembers, how would you use a similar activity/program in your own opportunity as a leader? Can you give a guest fanatic card to a coworker or a leader?
In my personal opinion, fanatic cards are one the best motivational activities used by our managers and leaders here at WDW. It not just motivates us as cast members but also demonstrated the satisfaction of our guests and leaders for our job performance. As a leader I will definitely implement a similar activity/ program for my cast members. I believe in the fact that if the employees are happy in their work place, they will do their best to perform their job. So, why not recognize their efforts and merits when they deserve it? I love being recognized for my efforts as well. being a good leader take more than just learn how to manage or lead people, it also take passion for people, patience, care and motivation. I think the key to success as a leader is also learn how to motivate others and learn what it takes to find out the ways to be an effective motivator in order to please the needs of others.
However, as a leader I will use the fanatic cards in a different way that it is actually use at my work place. For example: As a housekeeper we do not have that much interaction with our guests. So, we do not receive the fanatic card but when we obtain our room quality evaluation. If I will be a manager in the housekeeping department, I will also let my guests to fill out the fanatic cards because they can also let us know how our job was performed as well. They can write about our efficiency, courtesy because they see us every morning in the halls and in their room. As cast members, we can also give fanatic cards to ours coworkers and leaders. It is the most interesting way for us to also gratify our leaders and coworkers for their great job. I definitely just love it!!!