When you morph from employee to employer because you have launched your own business, it can be all too easy to become one of those bosses that you once despised.
Just because you are worried about funding, your marketing strategy and your business plan doesn’t mean that you can neglect your newly hired workforce.
It’s crucial that you are able to forge positive relationships with your team from the get-go otherwise, your workforce will quickly lose morale. You need to foster a productive atmosphere to ensure buy in to your business vision.
Your employees need to care about their work so do your best to keep them happy by following this simple guide.
Office Environment
Don’t lease the cheapest office simply because it saves you cash. You need to spend money prudently, not frugally. Ensure that you create a physical environment that is conducive to productive working.
Swap the peeling paint for some white emulsion, install some touches of greenery, swap the old school working booths with collaborative pods, and try to maintain an open plan environment.
This will allow your team to share ideas and have those water cooler moments of genius. The best ideas are often formed in less corporate moments, such as catching up over a coffee. Make your employees happy by facilitating their love of coming into the office because it is a comfortable place to be.
Admin
Many employees become frustrated in their role because admin tasks are inefficient. Ensure that you consider utilizing an online HR management software system to help your staff get sign off on their holiday requests quickly and to communicate with your staff more effectively.
Having this one-stop system means everything is kept and managed in one place rather than through hard copy pieces of paper and emails being scattered everywhere. When looking at your admin capability, think about your staff and their productivity.
Communication
It’s crucial that you are one of those bosses that get stuck in. Get to know your team rather than locking yourself away in your office. If they know you, they will care more about their work and doing their best for you.
Have weekly briefings detailing targets, what is going well, and what could be done better. Ask for their input on your business vision, your policies, and systems. Listen to their ideas and act upon the good ones.
This will demonstrate to your staff that you value them and that you are all in it together. Use an email every Friday to pay homage to those individuals in the office who have gone the extra mile.
Use little rewards like extra days off, shopping vouchers, and meals out to inspire and empower your team to work hard.
Your staff team needs to gel quickly and form strong professional bonds. Invest in them to empower them to be productive and stay happy. A happy employee will stay with your firm, preventing a high turnover of staff, and maintaining stability for your company.
