Are your store managers engaged with your company? Do they understand and support your goals?

Store managers are essential to operating a successful business. They directly influence company culture at a store level, interact with customers, oversee the customer experience, and are generally responsible for the successful operation of their locations. If your managers are not engaged, the negative impact could initiate a domino effect, creating high employee turnover and hurting customer satisfaction. 

According to Gallup, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace, leaving much room for improvement. If you’re looking to increase profitability and productivity, employee engagement is the place to start. Here are three ways to engage your store managers.

Show Your Store Managers That You Care

Building relationships with your managers will go a long way. Not only will it affect your success now, but it could also open opportunities in the future. Make time to check in regularly. Even if it’s just a text to see how they’re doing or give encouragement, the action will speak volumes. If you go the extra mile to show your managers that you care about them as individuals, they will care about you and your company in return. 

Be Transparent

Leaders often adopt the mindset that store managers either do not care about high-level numbers and data or it’s not relevant to the manager’s responsibilities. However, giving managers a view of the bigger picture allows them to understand your company’s goals and where they fit in. Show your  managers your books, balance sheet, and reporting data so they can see your company beyond the location they manage. Talk about challenges you’re facing and be open to finding hidden talent and unexpected solutions. 

Ask Your Store Managers for Feedback

When you’re making decisions that affect the store level, it’s best to get feedback from your  managers. Sometimes what seems like a great marketing campaign can cause headaches for the employees. Or maybe you’re afraid the employees won’t buy into a new tip-share process, but your store managers believe they will. This kind of feedback makes your employees feel heard and understood and positions your managers as leaders who care about their staff. 

Bottom Line

Being a manager is one of the most demanding roles within a multi-unit company. Not only are they expected to answer to leadership, but they’re also held responsible for store performance and staff. If you want your stores to operate smoothly and turn a profit, your store managers need to be engaged. Display genuine care for your employees, involve them in decisions and show them the bigger picture. You’ll be rewarded with managers who care about your company and want to help you achieve success.