Companies use employee pledges to institute a business culture that serves within the interest of a particular area of the company’s ethics. Employees may be required to sign a contract such as a behavior standard, sales goal or customer satisfaction pledge. Companies can use a pledge to motivate and encourage workers to develop and improve their level of service.

Things You Will Need

  • Written Pledge

  • Employees

Instructions

Create a well thought out pledge that is specific and clearly worded. Formulate a document that addresses the issues the company wants to improve on and the goals to be reached as a result of signing the pledge.

Make a short pledge that is no more than a page or two pages long. Employees need a pledge that is short enough to absorb after reading it through twice. A long pledge that is too wordy will turn them off and make it less likely for them to read and apply.

Have a meeting attended by all the employees to discuss the pledge. The meeting could be in one day or a succession of days within a week depending on how much time is needed. Introduce the document to all the employees and distribute a copy for everyone to read and sign.

Explain the purpose of the pledge and benefits and advantages of signing the pledge. Let employees know what’s in it for them first and how it will benefit them in their work and service to the company and its clients or customers.

Let employees know that it is a team effort and their willingness to sign the pledge is a sign of their commitment to the progress of the company and the achievement of its goals.

Present the pledge in a friendly and persuasive manner that sells the idea of it as a company-wide effort that everyone should be involved in. This can make employees feel motivated rather than obligated to sign the pledge.

Go through the entire document explaining each measure to ensure that the objectives are clearly understood by every employee otherwise it would be a waste of time. People cannot agree to do something they do not understand.

Open the floor for employees to ask questions, which creates an atmosphere of trust and cohesiveness since they will feel like they are a part of the process.

Answer questions directly and clearly ensuring that the employee understands why you are giving that answer. Allow them to offer suggestions as well. People rarely object to something they feel they are playing a role in.

Ask the employees to sign it upfront. At the end of the meeting ensure that everyone present signs the pledge. Putting pen to paper as a group instead of individually adds to the team effort and enforces the validity of the pledge and each employee’s commitment to the company’s overall progress. A pledge signed as a group will also make each employee feel accountable not only to the company but to each other.

Ask new hires to sign the pledge. If the pledge is being used for new employees then have them sign it upon acceptance of their employment at the company. Otherwise follow the steps above for employees that are already working for the company.