An entrepreneur has a lot to juggle in their mind. Entrepreneurship involves the marriage of numerous (often very disparate) skills and there are great many considerations that we contend with every single day in the operation of our enterprises. Am I giving my customers good value for money? Am I doing enough to incentivize repeat custom? Is my SEO on point? What are my competitors doing? All of these things can flit through our minds before we’ve even had the first coffee of the day. But there’s one consideration that we absolutely cannot afford to overlook… Our employees. While our vision may be the guiding force that charts a path to success, it’s our employees who push us down that path. Their hard work, diligence and talent are apparent in every customer interaction and help to further cement your reputation as a force to be reckoned with in your chosen industry.
But are you looking after them as well as you should be?
Are they getting good benefits?
At some time or another we all think to ourselves “How much money do I need to retire?”. You think it and you’d better believe that they think it? Do you offer a generous retirement plan that will encourage them to stay with you throughout their careers? Do you offer medical and dental benefits with the Dentist in Lancaster for example? Do they have the opportunity to become shareholders in your operation? All of these things can make the difference between retaining talented employees and seeing them flee into the arms of your competitors.
Have you established an infrastructure that allows them balance?
Your employees give you their all at work, so it’s in your best interests to spare a thought for their lives outside of work. How can you help them to achieve better work / life balance? Allowing them flexible hours so that they can juggle their professional and familial duties, the ability to work from home if their job is conducive to doing so and allowing them paid leave when they fall ill or have struggles with their mental health are all great ways of allowing them to achieve this important balance. This makes for happier, healthier and more productive employees.
Do they feel valued and appreciated?
There are many great ways to incentivize your employees, and not all of them are monetary. Indeed, perhaps one of the most effective ways to motivate and incentivize your workforce is both free and easy to implement… And that’s being forthcoming with your verbal praise and encouragement. These can be extremely powerful motivators and contribute enormously to an employee’s professional pride and confidence.
Are they being properly developed?
One of the best ways to take care of your workforce is to invest in their training and development. Imbue them with skills that will help them to progress within your organization and reward their loyalty with opportunity. If you aren’t prepared to develop them and provide opportunities for learning, training and ongoing professional development, they may just find another employer who will.
Your employees are amazing… It’s up to you to make sure that they know it!
Feeling valued and appreciated makes employees So happy Chantal. I recall this from my employee days. You always know because employers voice and act generously. Excellent post.