by Brian McKay
Yeah, you’re awesome! After all, you built this business up from nothing. Even though the odds were against you your combination of knowledge, expertise, passion and sheer pig-headed force of will made your enterprise happen. But let’s not pretend that you could do it all on your own. Your workforce has played a crucial part in the growth and evolution of your business. Their hard work, endeavor, ingenuity and imagination has helped your business to find new solutions to age-old problems that you could never have come up with on your own.
Showing this dynamic, resourceful and delightful bunch of men and women that you value them isn’t just conducive for a happy and hard working environment, it’s best practice to ensure long-term productivity. After all, you’ve worked and left enough bad jobs in your time to know what happens when an employee is undervalued. Here we’ll look at just a few simple ways to show employees that you care.
Feed them
When your nose is in constant contact with the grindstone, meal breaks are the only time you get to stop and catch your breath. When your employer lays on a generous and delicious spread it’s a great morale booster that gives your energy levels a much needed top up. But if you’re going to do this, do it right. Use a meal delivery software platform to ensure that your employees’ needs are catered for. Whether they’re paleo, vegetarian, vegan, keto or training for a marathon, show them that you care about their individual dietary requirements and you’ll demonstrate the kind of thoughtful boss you are.
Develop them
People change. They grow in their skills and their perspective, and a good boss needs to recognize this and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth. Give them training, qualifications, opportunity for promotion and a personalized scheme for ongoing professional development. Some entrepreneurs are wary of developing their employees lest they become a flight risk. The truth, however, is that failing to develop your employees and leaving them to languish in a job they outgrew years ago is a far more reliable way of ridding your business of top tier employees.
Make their lives easier
A little flexibility goes a long way. Letting Madeline come in an hour earlier so that she can leave at 4 for her art class won’t compromise your operation, but it will mean a great deal to her. Likewise, letting Ibrahim start half an hour later so that he can get the kids to school without having to drive like a maniac and risk his well being is also greatly appreciated.
Give your employees the flexibility to do their job while still being able to honor their commitments outside of work shows that you care about them not just as employees but as individuals.
Give them a voice
Not everyone who has a great idea will feel comfortable raising it in the weekly meeting. Likewise, not everyone who has a slight grievance will be able to come to your office to talk to you about it. That’s why you need to have an appropriate forum that gives your employees a voice so that they always feel listened to.
Whether it’s a dedicated space on your internal website or a simple suggestion box, it always pays to give your employees a platform.
When your employees know you care, they’ll dedicate their careers to rewarding you for it!