He is a famous businessman, philanthropist and investor. Can small businesses afford to adopt sir richard bransons. Interestingly, he didnt get higher customer service levels by focusing on the customers. Branson says, by putting the employee first, the customer effectively comes first by default, and in the end, the shareholder comes first by default as well. Sir richard branson leadership style how to make money.
Richard branson on why making employees happy pays off. The appeal of his companies is down to the leadership style which recognizes that happy employees equal more profits. Richard branson needs no introduction, he is the daredevil entrepreneur, he is living life on his terms, living on neckar island and managing his global empire. So, my philosophy has always been, if you can put staff first, your customer.
Richard bransons corporate philosophy that people are our greatest asset, was not just made to impress the workforce. Sir richard branson, virgin groups founder, has made life better for employees once again by announcing that he is offering new fathers working for his company the chance to spend more time with their newborns by giving them up to 12 months of paternity leave, with their salaries paid in full. Businesses should be taking an employeecentric approach to management. In 2017, sir richard bransons virgin group was voted the seventh best company to work for in linkedins top companies list.
Sir richard branson challenges business leaders to put people. Whats important is that, like branson, you show your employees that you genuinely care about them. Richard branson might not have read a book on hr but he has built a hugely successful global business on the principle of putting employees first. The most successful organizations put their employees first. Growing up in a traditional family, sir richard charles nicholas branson struggled throughout school due to an as of yet undiagnosed problem of dyslexia. British business magnate and entrepreneur, sir richard branson is the founder and chairman of virginia group and one of the richest people out there. Companies should put employees first the virgin founder shares how making employees the top priority can bring benefits for both customers and investors. Jun 28, 2018 by putting the employee first, the customer effectively comes first by default, and in the end, the shareholder comes first by default as well. President schurenberg to find out what makes virgins customer service exceptional. These guidelines, which we have introduced at almost all our. He is of the opinion that employees should be given toppriority. Such a peoplefirst culture resounded from every page of weconomy, the.
Sir richard charles nicholas branson born 18 july 1950 is a british business magnate, investor, author and philanthropist. Sir richard branson is now urging business leaders, in companies large and small, to show the same commitment to their workforce. Bransons familyowned virgin group is a venture capital ivestment firm with interest in more than 60 businesses, with trains, planes and spaceships bearing the virgin brand name. Oct 29, 2014 customer service can make or break a business. In this exclusive interview, the founder sir richard branson speaks about. Richard branson occasionally answers readers questions in his column. Put employees first and your customers effectively come first by. Nov 20, 2012 working with employees to find new challenges should be the job of every manager. Happy staff are proud staff, and proud staff deliver excellent customer service, which drives business success. Building on that, a few years ago we invested in virgin pulse, a business that is focused on helping companies to encourage their employees to be more active through a reward program.
He is an english business magnate, investor, author, and philanthropist. His first business venture, at the age of 16, was a magazine called student. Hundreds of bransons best quotes, comprising thoughts on business, music. Increasingly, successful organizations are realizing that they need to actually put their employees first not their customers. Put your staff first, customers second, and shareholders third. We at virgin also find a flexible working policy to be very effective. This book offers the most comprehensive view of what is taking place in. Richard branson has over 360 companies, among the most notable being. Mar 04, 2016 virgin founder richard branson sat down with inc.
Why richard branson puts employees first and you should. Virgin is one of the few companies, id include southwest airlines and danny meyers union. For example, richard branson, owner of the virgin empire, refused to put his name on any company he acquired until the customer service levels were up to his. Richard branson is an extraordinary personality, mainly known to the general public for his nonstandard actions, including the creation of his reality show, the rebel billionaire. Richard bransons rules of leadership business insider. Sign up to the weekly book summary newsletter by clicking here get any free audiobook of your choice by clicking here in my opinion, the virgin way book written by sir richard branson is an excellent read that touches on different subjects from his personal life of an entrepreneur to the business world. Richard branson is the british business magnate and investor. Richard bransons employees are the companys top priority. Sep 24, 2014 sir richard branson is to allow staff managing his personal fortune to take as much holiday as they like no questions asked branson, 64, worth. And happy workers translate into happy customers think service with a smile. The multibillionaire launched his first business as a teenager. The way i think of virgin is as a franchise of brand. He founded virgin group, which holds more than 400 companies.
Sir richard branson challenges business leaders to put. Sir richard bransons five billion reasons to make your. What richard branson can teach you about leadership. If you dont have room in your budget, you can start a mentorship program where senior employees teach younger workers the tricks of the trade.
Richard branson sir richard charles nicholas branson born 18 july 1950 in blackheath, london, england. For example, richard branson, owner of the virgin empire, refused to put his name on any company he acquired until the customer service levels were up to his standard. Why you should put employees, not customers, first nzbusiness. He founded the virgin group, which controls more than 400 companies. Why you should put employees, not customers, first. Of course, not all companies can afford to do thisand thats fine. Richard branson was very curious about entrepreneurship from very young age and he started his first venture a magazine called student, at the age of 16. Jan 25, 2018 putting employees first will be your best business move for 2018 employees care about the ethical practices of their companies. In order to put your employees first, you need to support their careers. Like a virgin goodreads meet your next favorite book. Yet many companies ignore and treat their employees poorly. Mar 16, 2016 richard bransons employees are the companys top priority. He also gives all salaried workers unlimited vacation.
A hippiebillionaire, a master of shocking, a nail in the boot of big business. By putting the employee first, the customer effectively comes first by default, and in the end, the shareholder comes first by default as well. To prove he is serious about this business ethic, he has put himself in their. The appeal of virgins employer brand is down to a leadership style that recognises that happy employees equal happy customers. How does richard branson structure his companies to be run. Virgin atlantic airline virgin megastores music retailers in the uk, usa and australia. For the first time, the most thoughtprovoking, revealing, and inspiring quotes from branson are compiled in a single book. How the coronavirus is impacting students in their own words. Timeline of richard bransons business ventures wikipedia. He may not have written books on hr and leadership, but he has built successful global businesses on the principle of putting employees first. When employee wellbeing is a top priority, its very likely that workers will be happy. Championed primarily by virgin founder richard branson, this idea puts employees at the top. This is the type of idea that is worth exploring a little. Jul 09, 2018 in 2017, sir richard bransons virgin group was voted the seventh best company to work for in linkedins top companies list.
In 2017, sir richard branson s virgin group was voted the seventh best company to work for in linkedins top companies list. Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. Billionaire entrepreneur sir richard branson has built his global business empire on. Richard branson views the business transaction in the customers shoes, leads rather than bosses and micromanages, puts his employees first as richard branson is unconventional. Branson founded his first magazine at 16 and owns or has owned airlines, record labels, radio. Virgin has a long history of putting its employees first, dating back to the. In his book the virgin way, branson breaks down the top 10 rules that have motivated him and his employees every step of the way. On many occasions, branson has stated, if you take care of your employees they will take care of your business. Oh, sir richard branson, if only we could clone you and put you at the helm of every business in the world. One of the researchers, andrew oswald, said in a press release. When employees are put first, they feel a sense of ownership to the business. One of the things i admire most about richard branson is that virgin is not set up as a monolithic organisation.
Why employees come first, customers second, and shareholders. Gary vaynerchuk, founder of vaynermedia says, employees are how you win. In school, branson struggled with dyslexia and couldnt really adapt, so at 16 he decided to dropout of school and start a youth culture magazine called student. He founded the virgin group in the 1970s, which controls more than 400 companies in various fields. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients. He is the founder of virgin group and has owned more than 400 companies. Richard branson in his own words is a comprehensive guidebook to the inner workings of the virgin group chairman and founder.
Put employees first and your customers effectively come. Companies should put employees first the virgin founder shares how making employees the top priority can. Why richard branson puts employees first and you should too. That may sound counter to decadesold business wisdom, but it has worked so well for virgin that branson says hes surprised more companies havent adopted an employeecentric management strategy. Its no secret that sir richard charles nicholas branson an english business magnate, investor, and philanthropist is a great boss and. He founded the virgin group in the 1970s, which controls more than 400 companies in various fields branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. Research released last month by the university of warwick in britain confirms that on average, happiness makes people 12% more productive. His parents wisely agreed that he should drop out of high school to start a magazine business. Serial entrepreneur richard branson offers some suggestions. At all virgin group companies their employees come first, then their customers, with the shareholders last. Excellent leaders believe their people come first, he said.
Sir richard believes that his philosophy, employees come first, is the reason. Atlas business solutions was named as one of software magazines top 500 software. Employees come first for sir richard branson headspace. It sort of should go without saying and its surprising that it still doesnt go without saying at some companies if the person who works at your company is 100% proud. Virgin group holds more than 400 companies in 30 countries around the world and is still expanding. The premise somewhat provocatively named employees first, customers second is that often most value in companies is generated at the bottom layers of the pyramid and that it is exactly those people there that should be empowered by management, so as to deliver the maximum value to the customer. Richard branson an exceptional company is the one that gets all the little details right. Apr 28, 2016 put your staff first, customers second, and shareholders third. Jun 11, 2015 on many occasions, branson has stated, if you take care of your employees they will take care of your business. Gareth cattermolegetty richard branson is the only entrepreneur to have built eight separate billiondollar companies in eight different industries and he did it all without a degree in business. The virgin founder shares how making employees the top priority can bring benefits for both customers and investors.
Dec 21, 2017 bransons familyowned virgin group is a venture capital ivestment firm with interest in more than 60 businesses, with trains, planes and spaceships bearing the virgin brand name. By nearly any measure, richard branson is at the top of the successometer of life. Branson grants all of his employees a full year of paid paternal leave. Eight out of ten would take lower pay if they perceived their.
Richard branson this is a story that begins on july 18, 1950 in shamley green, surrey, england. Surprisingly, branson recently revealed that virgin does not put the customer first. Some business leaders believe that the customer should always come first, while others argue that employees should come first, because they bring in customers. Working with employees to find new challenges should be the job of every manager. Let your employees attend relevant conferences and trade shows.
It was noticeable when observing virgin employees at work just how. Richard branson is the ceo of virgin and author of losing my virginity. In a complete reversal of the hierarchy weve been taught, where customers come before everyone else, branson has built virgin by putting his employees first. Isnt it time all businesses put people and the planet alongside profit. Bransons quest for the best, and numerous attempts to break world speed records, including the fastest ever atlantic ocean crossing. In fact, virgin employees are the companys top priority. Giving his employees the chance to take unlimited holidays is a weak effort to bolster his image. Branson founded his first magazine at 16 and owns or. The lofty position should come as no surprise to those familiar with the company. And thus, he has created a nonhierarchical, egalitarian, familylike culture in all of companies, an environment in which people like to work and coming. Putting employees first will be your best business move for 2018 employees care about the ethical practices of their companies. The lofty position should come as no surprise to those familiar with. The vast majority of virgin businesses operate as distinct lean businesses, that.