Taking Care Of Your Employees

When you think about taking care of someone, what comes to your mind? Providing safety and security, but also being sure that they are being well-fed and have their health in order. Now think about how you take care of your employees. Does all of this still apply? Taking care of the people who work for you is your responsibility as a business owner — but also one method to retain great employees. What are some of the best, most beneficial ways that you can take care of your workers?

Set Them Up For Success

Proper training is not the responsibility of the employee, it’s on the supervisor — and that person is you. Before you even hire a new employee you need to think about the way that you run your business. Do you have clear, proper training techniques in place or have your employees kind of had to figure out a method that works on their own? Rather than keep everyone guessing what should happen, set your employees up for success by making the hiring process as easy as possible.

• Every business that is registered with the US Department of Labor is required to follow the same basic laws and rules upon hiring a new employee. One of these regulations is signing paperwork. Make sure that you have things like contracts, non-disclosure agreements and W2 forms all ready to go when your new hire comes on their first day. This is not to make things difficult or drawn out; it’s to cover you in case Uncle Sam decides to come sniffing around during tax season.

• Have a process and a procedure for all work-related tasks. For example, if someone is working in the stockroom, don’t assume that they know exactly what to do the first day they enter the building. Rather, assume the opposite and train all employees the same way. Show them how things are done, what order they are done in and whether or not they must rigidly follow the rules or if there’s room for flexibility here and there.

• Allow a proper training period. Don’t expect that after one day your new worker is an expert and knows everything about the new job. Feel them out for the first week or two and check in with them often, asking how they’re doing and whether they need extra help doing something. Some people take longer than others to learn new concepts, so be patient.

Consider Work Perks

Not all workplaces, especially small businesses, offer benefits. This is understandable; benefits like a retirement plan, medical/vision/dental health insurance and paid vacation days add up in a hurry. This can tally up in a hurry! However, even if you can’t afford a full benefits package like they might be expecting, you can still offer some perks that they won’t find at another workplace. Need some inspiration? Consider some of the following and see how they would work for your company:

Unlimited vacation time. Yup, you read that right! Think about it: If you had an endless amount of time to take vacations, wouldn’t that make coming into work every morning a little easier? It’s not like you would allow everyone to leave whenever they felt like it; manager’s approval is important and they need to understand that. However, you may be able to increase productivity at your business if your employees know they’re not tethered to work at all times. There is an end in sight!

Professional development. Even if you can’t afford to send them on a full-ride scholarship back to get their degree, you can at least offer other kinds of professional development to your employees. Is there an enrichment class that can help them pick up new work skills? A motivational speaker in town that might inspire them? Seek out ways to help your employees grow professionally as well as personally. Better-educated employees are more valuable ones.

Free/provided meals. If you run a restaurant, why shouldn’t you offer your hardworking employees meals on you? It’s your business, yes, but when you can feed your workers onsite then you know that they are getting a decent meal, plus they can help try out new products and be your on-site “guinea pigs.” 

Treat Them Right

The Golden Rule is ancient, but don’t you want to be treated with the same respect that you give everyone else? With mutual respect comes understanding, and employees want a boss that understands them and sees what they do for the business every day. It’s a vicious cycle: When you’re kind to your employees, they tend to be kinder to your customers. Encourage an amicable work environment and try to cut down on the office drama.

Acknowledge a job well done. Everyone likes an “atta boy” or “atta girl” every so often. If you notice that someone has done something well at work, tell them. You don’t have to throw confetti over them and single them out in front of everyone, but something as simple as “I noticed that you stayed late to get inventory done last night, thank you. I appreciate everything you do for the company. 

Don’t rule from on high. When your stomach ties in knots approaching your boss because you feel like they talk down to you, that’s not a good feeling. Don’t be the person who considers themself to be higher or better than the people who work for you; be a friend and a companion to them and reaffirm that they can come to you anytime they face an issue. You might be the boss, but you’re all people just the same.

Set a good example. You already know that training your employees is a big deal, but training doesn’t stop when the trial period is over. As the face of your company, show your team how you want it run. Talk to clients and customers the same way that you would want your employees to, use the same procedures that you ask them to follow and be consistent. If you want them to see how it’s done, show them.

Show Appreciation

Telling them is a great place to start, but showing your employees how much you appreciate their hard work is something different. There are many ways to show employee appreciation, so pick whichever methods work the best for your environment and work setting.

• Coffee and donuts are a winner 99% of the time. Employees love seeing a fresh carafe of coffee and a box of donuts in the breakroom. Mix up the days that you decide to do it so that it keeps everyone on their toes, but it’s always a thoughtful gesture that does not go unnoticed. Don’t forget to bring carrot sticks and hummus for those people who claim to be on a diet!

• Allow work from home days. If they have a job that doesn’t require them to be a physical presence, why force them to drive into work every morning? Consider making a rotating shift of work from home days; for example, Charlotte and Evan have Mondays that they work from home, then April and Xander have Tuesday, etc. This is a great way for employees to see that you aren’t as strict and staunch as they might expect from a business owner, plus it can help to rejuvenate their mental health and make it easier to come into the office every day.

• Host lunch meetings from time to time. Staff meetings are rarely anyone’s idea of fun. Change that aesthetic by mixing up your meetings; make them at a restaurant sometimes, or perhaps a local cafe. Don’t always host stiff and boring staff meetings ous of the conference room, dare to be spontaneous every now and then.

Work On Yourself As A Manager

Nobody is perfect, and if you’re new to being a manager then you might not have the slightest idea what you’re doing. That’s okay! In a new business, everyone has to kind of learn as they go. They being said, what can you do to improve yourself and the way that you manage your people?

Communication is key. Constantly updating your staff on new developments, keeping them in the loop for projects and simply discussing the weekend with them can make a huge difference. When everyone is on the same page, work tends to flow better.

Keep thinking about growth. Not just your business, but your employees too. How can you help to keep everyone growing and doing better for themselves? What can you do to help and improve your employees’ quality of work — and quality of life?

Give and accept constructive feedback. Yearly evaluations should not be the only time that you discuss feedback with your employees. There should never be any surprises at any evaluation whatsoever. Always be talking to your staff about changes they could make and how they can improve their work. On the same token, you need to be open to constructive feedback as well. You tell staff how to be better so they can improve — the same should be said for you.

Since they represent your baby that is your small business, treating your employees right is a huge part of keeping the best ones. Take care of them and assure that they are happy and comfortable in the workplace and they will in turn do the same for your clients.