So, you’ve done it. You’ve successfully started up your own business as a student. Who’d have thought it? The stress, pressures, and responsibilities of studying alone can prove too much for many young people. But to take on all of that and run a business at the same time? Well, that’s a feat in itself! It may all seem a little much and you may be tempted to postpone, but rest assured that the hard part is out of the way. You’ve established yourself and now upkeep should be relatively easy. Why? Because you have staff members to help you out. Whether you only have a couple of employees or a larger base of workers, these people will prove to be the backbone of your small business. It’s them who will be able to tide things over (as long as they have effective management that keeps them in line). So, it’s pretty clear that these individuals are pretty important. Make sure that they’re happy, healthy and productive. Great employees mean more profit and it’s your job to ensure that everything is running smoothly and nobody leaves. Here are a few things you should practice to keep your employees happy, healthy and productive.
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Appreciate Their Hard Work
The people at http://careerbright.com/ know what they’re talking about when it comes to keeping your employees content. As they note, employee retention is one of the biggest problems facing business owners today. But not to despair! There are plenty of ways to encourage your staff to stay loyal to you rather than fleeing to your competitors. The first step in this journey is to ensure that each and every worker feels appreciated. As the old saying goes, staff leave bad managers, not companies. If your employees feel like they are appreciated in their role, they are more likely to stay put! There are a few different ways to show your appreciation. Some are extremely simple. As simple as a handshake and a word of thanks for a particularly well-done job. Or perhaps knowing all of their names. There are few things more disrespectful than not remembering a staff member’s name after they’ve been working for you for an extended period of time. Make sure that they don’t feel disposable.
Offer Rewards and Incentives
Rewards and incentives give workers something to strive for. Not only will it increase your profits, as they work harder to achieve greater goals. But it will also ensure that they feel accomplished in their roles. Going home with an extra cash bonus or a special prize at the end of the month will make them feel like they have really achieved something through their hard work and that your company has recognized this.
Offer All Round Support
Support your employees. If someone is slacking or falling behind on targets, it’s easy to assume that they have become lazy or simply aren’t trying hard enough. Don’t chastise them straight away and give them the benefit of the doubt. There may be deeper underlying problems which are causing them to struggle in the workplace. Remember that their lives aren’t solely based in your office. The key to resolving this kind of issue is compassion and communication. Talk to your employees. If you notice problems arising, confront them. Ask them what is happening and whether there is anything that you can do to help their situation. This may involve easing their workload a little or even offering them help in the forms of referred counseling. Check out this show reel at slideshare.net for some ideas.
Put Regular Training Schemes in Place
Many employees will worry that they’re not entirely sure of what their job role actually entails. This will result in them trying to work their way through confusion in silence. Put this to an end by putting regular training schemes into place. Even if this is just once a month, it will refresh your workers’ memories and ensure that they know exactly what is expected of them. Also get staff to fill out anonymous surveys through which they can put forward questions and queries. They may be too shy or nervous to ask things outright, but filling in an anonymous survey will give them the confidence to voice their views.
Constantly Strive to Improve the Workplace
You may think that your workplace is in perfect functioning order. But there may be small improvements that could be made to make everyone happier and more comfortable. Make sure that staff know they can put forward suggestions for a better workplace. This may be something as simple as investing in a kettle for the staff kitchen so that they can have hot drinks which will perk them up at lulls in the day. Perhaps seating could be more comfortable or ergonomic, preventing future strains and injuries.
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