It’s safe to say that your employees are a direct reflection of yourself and your business.
Treating them right is a sure-fire way to get the results you want, neglect them and it can tarnish not only your reputation but also your businesses. It’s like we’re taught from being young ‘Treat others how you wish to be treated’.
Even though each employee may only be a small part of the bigger picture, without them your business is sure to suffer.
Here are just five changes you can make to get the most out of your employees.
#1. Be Available
Whether you run a small or large business, it happens all too often that the managers and owners are heard of but never seen. In some bigger companies, the employees don’t even know what the owner looks like or even know their name.
Making yourself available will take away that element of ‘you vs them’ as many employees seem to feel that’s the case. Acknowledging your employees by simply saying ‘Hi’ is a great way to start, it will make them feel more at ease around you and more importantly that they are appreciated.
#2. Allow Their Input
As a business owner, there are a lot of things that are different for you than they are for your employees. There may be policies in place that affect them but not you that could be changed slightly, still work but make your employees happier.
Allowing your employees to come forward with suggestions (and take on board what they’ve said) will show them that you do care, in turn, making them more likely to want to work hard.
#3. Reward Their Hard Work
This doesn’t have to be anything drastic, you can simply acknowledge a job well done and your employees will be grateful.
Employees are often penalised for not hitting targets but are rarely praised when the exceed. If you acknowledge the hard work they have done for your business, they will feel more appreciated and more willing to work as hard in the future.
Things as simple as certificates, downtime or team meals are great incentives and rewards for your staff.
#4. Provide Opportunities
This could be opportunities for advancement or training opportunities such as first aid courses.
Nobody likes to feel like they’re in a dead-end job. Allow your employees to advance within your company motivate them to work harder it will allow them to see this as a career and not just a job.
This can also save you time and effort in recruitment further down the line as positions can be filled in-house.
Upskilling your employees will not only benefit them but could also benefit your customers and their experience.
#5. Lead by example
As a business owner or manager, employees tend to look to you to set an example. How can you expect your employees to have the same values for the business if you don’t?
As a leader, you are looked up to, don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your employees to do.
In Conclusion
You may already do some of these things; some may never have crossed your mind.
Following these five simple steps will make employees want to work hard for you, not just because you’re paying them to, but because they are treated right.
It can also help attract new talent; if your company is an excellent place to work, more people are going to want to work there. Simple, right?
After all, without your employees, where would you be?