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Blue Origin and SpaceX are both big players in the space rocket launch industry.

Both have billionaire founders, and both have access to the best engineers and technology.

However, there is a big difference between the companies. SpaceX has managed to send multiple rockets into orbit, land booster stages and ferry NASA astronauts to the international space station. Blue Origin has done none of those things. But why?

It’s not a lack of money. Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin and Amazon founder, has a personal net worth of $200 billion. It’s not the technology either. SpaceX has successfully been landing rockets on space pads and barges out to sea for five years now.

The issue is one of employee relations. While information is sketchy, most people report that working for Blue Origin is a nightmare, while for SpaceX, it is inspiring. Staff at the former do the minoimuim possible, while those working for the latter go above and beyond. It is perhaps the clearest example of how staff morale can positively affect business outcomes.

In this post, we take a look at some of the ways you can emulate SpaceX in your business, keep staff onside and get them working hard for you.

Tell People How Changes Will Affect Them

If you need to make a change to how your company operates, communicate with employees, don’t vacillate. If you appear to equivocate, then you’ll start losing trust and people will seek opportunities elsewhere. In some cases, this process can begin within the space of a week, with massive ramifications for your enterprise.

Be upfront and honest with any changes coming down the pike. Explain the reasons for them clearly and why they are necessary. Point out who will be a winner, and who will lose.

Prioritize Well Being

All companies should be investing in health and safety training. It’s not just about liability and compliance. It’s also a signal to workers that you care about their wellbeing and are willing to look afterthem in whatever capacity you can.

You can also prioritize well-being in other ways. For instance, you can have a “no email after 7pm” policy, and ensure that colleagues have access to excellent nutrition in the workplace.

Accommodate Naysayers

Toxic positivity is a real problem in many businesses. Don’t fall for it. The world isn’t an exclusively positive place and, therefore, neither should your business be one.

Instead, take staff’s misgivings into account. Recognize the issues that they face and the fact that things can’t be perfect. Far from leading to a loss of quality, this level of communication can actually motivate and empower employees, helping to win them over to your cause.

Tell Staff What’s In It For Them

While it would be nice for people to believe in your company mission and care about it more than their own interests, that rarely happens. In most cases, people are looking after number one.

As a business leader, therefore, your job is to tell staff what’s in it for them. Point out everything that could happen if they commit to their roles and fulfill their potential. Give them incentives.

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