Are you human? Being sensitive to employees and customers

Some time ago, a certain UPS driver decided to show a more human side of his job.

It was over 10 years ago that UPS driver Sean McCarren created a certain Facebook attraction – “UPS dogs”.

To be perfectly clear…
…it wasn’t that he was showing dogs that the delivery firm UPS or its employees owned.

Rather, on the social network, he featured the (friendly) dogs he encountered while on deliveries.

Fast forward to today, and “UPS dogs” is a Facebook page with more than 1.9 million followers.

For showing the caring side of UPS employees, the social media phenomenon is a masterclass in building goodwill.

This communication doesn’t just show good rapport its staff are building while on deliveries.

It also subtly conveys a message of challenging stereotypes – do dogs hate delivery people? Not necessarily, gauging by these photos.

By challenging preconceived ideas, it’s possible to make an audience more receptive to your messages, to innovations and other changes to your business as technology and society evolves over time.

Yes, it’s true that some people are more cat people than dog people; and, of course, some people would prefer to avoid contact with animals.

But the dogs that the delivery people of UPS encounter are testament to the good relationship-building its employees are capable of. And that’s a strong human connection, to gauge by the tens of thousands of positive reactions the posts receive on Facebook and other outlets.

Your business might rarely, if ever, come into contact with dogs. But other stories are of interest for sharing on social media.

By prioritising the human angle and recognising achievement, stories are more likely to be organically shared.

On LinkedIn, an employee will often willingly share a post if they’ve won an accolade such as Employee of the Year. That alone is likely to garner dozens of positive reactions from this employee’s connections – and goodwill for your company.

This is an important part of maintaining a positive image. A company that shows it is investing in its staff is one that builds trust through its consideration of the long term.

That’s a powerful message to send.

So whether or not your business is customer-facing, and regardless of its potential for canine encounters, it’s worth giving thought to how your business can show its human side.