How do you think you’d fare if you were a receptionist for a day?
That’s the fun but intriguing question posed by Inc., which has an article from a Peppercom executive who decided to take his receptionist’s place for the day. The experience was about as enlightening as you might imagine:
Working as Peppercom’s receptionist for a day gave me a subtle, but crucial, peak under the hood of what it must be like to experience my firm as an outsider. As a result, I’ve become much more aware of treating our receptionist as a full peer (if not superior) and ensuring that he continues to adore his work and represent us in the most positive way possible. I’ve also become much more aware of how mediocre, indifferent, or downright rude other receptionists are (and how their attitudes subsequently shaped my perception of the organization they represented).
You really should read the whole article, both because it’s an interesting one and because you may want to get a sense of what you’re jumping into if you’re going to try switching roles for a day. The idea resonated with me because we’ve written about valuing employees before, and there’s really no better way to gain that appreciation than to truly understand what your workers do in an average day. We don’t always manage to do that, but making a real effort goes a long way.
If you’re the receptionist at your firm or just someone a little further down the totem pole, trying a day alongside the CEO might also give you a new appreciation for the work they have to do. I’m a big believer in putting yourselves in the shoes of others and fostering a culture of respect.
Have you ever tried this? If not, will you?
Follow Us On Twitter | Join BizEngine On Facebook | Subscribe To BizEngine By E-mail
Photo credit to http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-16566199-customer-service.php?st=dd8b474
Subscribe via RSS
Follow on Twitter
Connect on LinkedIn
Connect on Facebook
Loading ...