As a small business owner, it’s vital that you have a good working relationship with your staff – but it can be tough to instill the same sense of passion and leadership as your time is eaten up by other CEO responsibilities. Below, we’ve put together some tips on engaging your staff every day, which should ultimately lead to an increase in job satisfaction and productivity…
Offer them incentives
One of the best ways to increase productivity in the workplace is to offer incentives as a thank you for their hard work. Your staff will feel valued and appreciated, and they’ll have something to work towards every month, whether it’s an entry into a raffle or a guaranteed benefit or reward. Let them become CEO for the day, give them company merchandise, or pay for a meal out for your best-performing team. The more creative you are (and the more you mix things up month-to-month), the more your staff will want to put in the hours and do the best possible job. Sometimes, incentives are more motivational than a standard pay rise.
Invest in your office environment
Where your staff work is so important. You can’t expect them to perform at their best if they have a tiny laptop and they’re hunched up in the corner of an office that’s too small for your team. Invest in your office environment – that could mean upgrading your equipment, paying for an interior designer to remodel your space, or upgrading to larger, modern premises. It’s also wise to invest in facilities management services such as cleaning and security so that your teams know they’re thought of highly. After all, your marketing manager shouldn’t have to scrub the toilets on a Friday afternoon – a dedicated cleaner will give them job satisfaction.
Don’t overlook training
When did you last train your staff? Levelling up should be continual, and though staff should be encouraged to work on a professional development plan in their own time, sending them off on training courses or paying for software can give them a greater sense of ownership in their role, and help them achieve their true potential. Indeed, a training course that costs £500 per week might sound like an unnecessary expense in today’s tough times, but if that course then helps your staff becomes 10% more efficient, you’ll earn it back in no time. Think of the long-term benefits of training and development and be prepared to invest in your staff.
Make career progression achievable
Your entry-level staff aren’t going to feel motivated if there’s no way that they can climb the career ladder and earn new responsibilities and rewards. Make sure that your business is equipped for internal recruitment and focus on giving your teams the skills and opportunities they need to thrive. For example, your junior staff could shadow your more experienced teams once a month to learn new skills. Not only does it give them an opportunity to grow, but it ensures that knowledge is distributed within your workforce so no one member of staff is indispensable, which could prove to be a real headache should they decide to leave.
Do you have any other advice? Let us know and check back soon for some more.
