So too, most of the time, no one really wants to know Human Resources exists, which is exactly the point of all this.   As a manager, you must have your finger on the pulse of your employees; you need to know what is on their minds, how you can help them work better, and, above all, where the next crisis will come from. So you either spend all of your time out in the workplace talking to workers, who will only hear you with half of their attention and answer you only in ways so as not to be labeled “snitch” by the busybody on their right, or you bring them to your office, where they tighten their suspicion filter and set their alert levels to Defcon 2. Setting your employees at ease takes months, and getting to really know them takes even longer. The central function of my job is getting to know what is happening on the production floor.  As an HR guy, that challenge is tenfold. My mission was to find a way to get people to willingly come to visit me, talk openly, and have them teach me about who they are. This is when I discovered the power of chocolate.

 

First, I got a bowl.  Not just any bowl; not one of those petite, delicate art pieces that if filled with dog food wouldn’t satisfy the hunger of an anorexic Chihuahua.  No, this bowl is big enough for a person to grab an overflowing handful of candy while the bowl still magically appears full.  Then, I filled it with candy; and not that crappy cheap nameless junk even my kids throw away during the annual "what did I get for Halloween" sorting binge. Oh, no! I am talking the classics that even the people in finance appreciate. Hershey's, Nestle Crunch, Butterfingers, Twix, Kit Kat, and all those favorites that fill our minds with serenity at the first bite and loosen our tongues moments later.  There is always a wide variety offered, so you will have to spend a few extra seconds searching for what you want (and the best is always at the bottom). I have learned that hard candies break and look ugly too quickly.  They are not popular except with a few and most of those are sour candies so I avoid them. Chocolate is sweet and is always wrapped in such eye catching colors.  And, as the holidays change, so do the wrappers, adding to the freshness each time you visit.

 

Even the placement of the bowl is strategic. It's not on my desk. It’s sitting on an end table just off the left wall, closer to me than to the door. The most comfortable chair in the room just happens to sit right next to it and you have to get around the chair to get to the bowl. 

 

Why all of this? The strategy goes this way... candy is a happy experience, it creates endorphins.  But, more importantly, you really want it when things are going rough in the workplace and you need a distraction. The most in-demand time for the candy bowl is during the busiest time of the day or the most difficult time of the season. Everyone knows they can come into my office at any time to grab a piece, so they get used to stopping by and, of course, no one comes in without saying "hi." 

 

The bowl is closer to my desk than to the door, bringing you close enough to me so you would actually be uncomfortable if you didn’t say something to me. You can't go unnoticed. The chair is for people who want a quiet moment to sit and if you are in my office for a chat, the bowl is right there helping you relax. I never make a comment on the quantity you are eating, but I am watching both how much and what kind. Why? Because I have big candy bars of all types in my desk, and I know what your weakness is should I really need to get your attention. If I need to get your attention and know you love Cookies and Cream Hershey, one bar left on your workstation will have you in my office for a long thank you conversation quicker than a post-it saying "Come to HR."

 

I know who in the company comes for candy and why. I know if Bob visits and takes one candy, he is stressed. If he starts to unwrap it in my office, he wants to talk. Carly gets two handfuls for her and the people around her. It helps her be popular and, often, one of her teammates (too nervous to visit the HR guy alone) will go with her. Eventually, that person will be comfortable enough to stop by on his own. Many employees use the excuse of getting a piece of candy as a reason to come and talk to me. Employees use that moment to tell me what is really going on without fear of being accused as a snitch. Going to HR is no longer a noticed activity on the production floor. 

 

I never push a conversation; just a gentle hello and thanks for stopping by, with a comment that the bowl is always full is all I need to do. Most of the time, the event is brief but full of educational moments. Many a conversation started with a Twix bar has ended in knowing which employees are looking to leave the company, or who is really working hard but being under appreciated, or even who needs help. All of these are what the HR guy needs to know. A bowl of candy is a great starting point and the results are significant. 63% more people come to my office on their own than before the bowl. Conversations over a piece or two of candy have provided insights into employee needs and attitudes so much that half of the employee initiatives HR has implemented came as a direct result of candy related employee interaction. 

 

What surprises me is that most managers who try it, buy the cheap stuff in a small bowl on the front of their desk and wonder why it sits there for months without impact. One manager even went as far as putting a chair right in front of his desk so you HAD to sit down in front of him to get to a piece of LifeSavers Mint. No one comes to visit. 

 

As a further experiment, I also put one of those single cup coffee makers out to see who would visit for tea or coffee. I had six different flavors of coffee and seven different teas. The result was also surprising. Making a cup of coffee takes too long for most employees to feel comfortable and creates an awkward amount of time standing and waiting for it to be made. On top of that, only directors and executives really came by for coffee. In contrast, the candy bowl always allows the employee to stay in motion if they want to. Walk in, say hello, then, two or three sentences later, the employee is either gone, happier that they had an emotional pick me up in the form of sweet chocolate, OR I am in a deep conversation about an employee who is committing timecard fraud.

 

All this by candy, which builds trust and comfort, and creates an environment that is open and uncomplicated. As a manager, we need all the secrets to success we can muster. This is just one - a tool to open people up to trusting you. What you do with that trust is up to you, but that is another article for another time.

 

Remember it takes months to build trust, an entire career to maintain it, and only seconds to blow it to hell. (BTW - the most popular - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.)