How to Look After Your Employees For Optimum Profitabilitysubmitted on 29 May 2019
Looking after your employees is crucial to your business’s success, but it can be a complex and time-consuming responsibility. Many small business owners don’t come from a background where they’ve learned people management skills, and trying to muddle through is unlikely to build the greatest relationships with your staff.
If you want to get the best from your staff – and you should, if you’re serious about succeeding in business – then you need to learn how to manage them effectively, and how to give them the support and respect that they need if they’re to flourish under your leadership. Keeping staff happy is also essential to retention, which can be a costly business if your retention rates are low.
Training
Your team needs training if they’re to do their jobs well, because if they don’t know the right way to complete the work they’re given, they can be miserable and frustrated and tasks won’t be carried out correctly, causing productivity and quality problems. Each member of staff should have a training file or folder where training is recorded, and a diary of training events for them to attend. Training is invaluable for making sure tasks are done right, but it can also be highly motivating, and an acknowledgment that staff matter.
Personal issues
Your staff won’t intentionally bring their personal problems to work, but sometimes the events of their private lives will have an effect on their job performance. If a member of staff doesn’t seem themselves or their work standards are slipping, it’s always worth having a private chat to find out if there’s something going on that’s distracting them.
If they’re unwell you can support them in seeking medical help; if they’re having relationship difficulties, you can offer sympathy and understanding. If it’s money worries causing the problem, you can offer practical advice on overcoming cashflow problems, getting out of debt, or using payday loans effectively. You don’t have to solve their problems – being able to talk and having your support is often enough to lead to improvement.
Rewards
Happy staff aren’t necessarily the best-paid staff. Money undoubtedly matters, but as long as you’re paying a decent, competitive rate, the working conditions carry far more weight in determining employee satisfaction. Simply acknowledging their efforts and commenting on a job well done makes an enormous difference to staff morale.
Keeping everyone informed about what’s going on, so they feel they’re a valued part of the team is another easy way to keep your staff happy and onboard. Social events and team building exercises can be good ways to develop better working relationships, and being open to staff ideas and opinions ensures staff feel like they matter – which indeed they should.
A member of staff who’s well-trained, feels valued and respected, and knows you support them is a member of staff who is happy and productive, and optimum productivity means increased profits for your business. Motivated staff are worth their weight in gold, and are often inspired to work extra hours to help out, or come up with great ideas for the business. It definitely pays to have happy staff.
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