By Sharon Jones
You might have the best business idea ever, and put in all the hard work that you have to give. But to be a success, you need great employees. Business is complex, there are lots of moving parts that all need to work together in harmony to ensure that the company continues to do well. And the way you get those parts to work, is to employ experienced and reliable people, who care about the success of the business and are prepared to put in the work needed. As well as snagging the best employees, you also need to make sure you keep them too- those with the most experience and best track record will have their pick of where to work. Rather with you than with your competitors! When it comes down to it, many of the things that benefit your workers will actually benefit you as a business owner too. Here are a few things to consider.
Offer Good Employee Benefits to Your Staff
Along with a competitive salary, good employee benefits make your company an attractive place to work. You could offer health or life insurance, disability plans, pension and retirement packages. You could also offer added extras like a company smartphone, laptop or car. Consider what kind of perks your staff would benefit from in their job, and then you could provide these as part of your overall employee package. You'll make employees feel valued, and these benefits will also help to attract the best workers when you advertise the position.
Provide Training and Education
When prospective employees are looking for jobs, one of the things that will attract them to a role is the ability to gain further education or training. This is good for them as it allows them to improve themselves and progress, and it’s good for you as you get skilled workers. It could be anything from simple computer training certificates to full college or university courses, which they would do one day a week or in their own time online. Some training will be essential, according to http://americansafetycouncil.com/content/OSHA-card you will need an Occupational Safety and Health Administration card to legally be able to work a number of different jobs. Just like for kitchen staff, food hygiene certification is necessary- make sure you’re up to scratch on the law when it comes to basic training your employees need. But having any kind of training or educated funded will be a great advantage in the eyes of potential employees and could set you apart from jobs from your competitors.
Set Up a Pleasant Office Space
If your office isn't up to scratch, it could well be having an effect and morale and slowing staff productivity. A good office will help your workers to feel happy and motivated. It has been proven by psychologists that daylight boosts productivity levels and mood, so one thing you could do is position your desks close to windows. Pay careful attention to the layout to, unless you have separate meeting rooms then an area that’s suitable for meetings as well as collaborative work could be useful. Then of course, separate desks for individual tasks. Go with light, neutral walls and choose good quality desks and chairs to keep employees comfortable while they work.
Provide Powerful Computers and Smartphones
To succeed in business and get ahead of your competition, it’s crucial that you take advantage of the tech and tools that are available to you. For this reason, it's worth investing in fast, reliable computers for your business. This will make both yours and your employees jobs easier, faster and more efficient- and will allow workers to get on with their tasks without being held back. Smartphones are another vital piece of technology for your business and are something to spend the extra on. If you use sales people in your business or workers travel for meetings, then you could consider providing them with a company phone. It's a nice benefit to have, and is good news for both your workers and you. They don't need to use their personal minutes and data, and you can monitor usage, and it's easier to claim back for tax purposes on a device that's solely used for work.
Consider Team Building Activities
Your staff need to work well individually, but they also should work well as a team too- it's good communication and trust which is vital for the success and smooth running of your business. Team building activities for your staff can be incredibly valuable, and these fun and lighthearted activities give your employees chance to bond and get to know each other. You could simply arrange a day of activities in the office, or go with an outing; there are lots of companies that offer fun team building activities with overnight stay. Social gatherings such as office parties on special occasions and the occasional dinner paid for by the company can also be useful for getting everyone chatting too.
Listen To What Your Employees Have to Say
Never underestimate the value of being a caring and understanding boss. Just listening to your employees can make all the difference- knowing they have someone they can speak to if they're not happy about something in their role or within the company is invaluable. This builds trust, and also means you're more likely to hear information about all kinds of things you might have overlooked or missed. Perhaps there's a case of workplace bullying, or maybe there's a faster and more efficient way of doing things which you hadn't thought of. Either way, keeping in close contact with your employees and being considerate and approachable is good news for both you and them. Research has actually shown that a stern boss doesn’t even make people work harder so being overly strict won't boost production. Instead, it just equates to more stress, which won't allow your staff to do their best work.
What kinds of steps have you taken to ensure you find, and keep the best workers for your business?
