As the working year draws to an end, it’s the ideal chance to reflect on the previous months, and how productive, or not, they may have been for your business. Going over the year and figuring out what worked and what didn’t, will provide an opportunity to plan changes, refresh, and refocus, where necessary. For many businesses, the people power behind them is what keeps them running smoothly (or not), and they are a vital element to your company’s success and longevity. Therefore, it’s crucial for your company’s survival and ability to thrive in a competitive market, that you’re investing time and energy into the staff and team behind your business.
There are many ways to secure the motivation, productivity, and overall well-being of those who work for you. This will lead to business growth and a successful momentum that will carry you through the new year and beyond. It can feel somewhat overwhelming to know where to begin regarding your team investment, but, don’t worry; small changes can often make a big and positive impact. You can formulate your plan of action in the new year and ensure everyone is on board with any changes you’re going to implement. Knowing that you’re taking the time to invest in your team will already boost morale at work, and make them feel appreciated. The following are some ideas, inspiration, and advice for business owners who want to ensure that they have a dedicated and happy crew of people behind their business, to ensure its future success.
Their Future With You
Whatever area your business is in, it’s important that your staff members feel like they have a future with your company. Understanding that they can grow with you, in the business, will ensure that you end up with highly-skilled people who can do the job like nobody else. As they develop through the business, they’ll be able to take on more responsibilities, and eventually will be training any new staff you take on. This will have a continuous effect on productivity, as it will free up your time and allow you to focus on other areas. The continual investment in your team will trickle down to new employees, who will understand that you run a tight ship and that there’s ample opportunity to stay with your company and further their career and job role.
An excellent way to provide team investment is to consider how well they’re trained for their role or any role you’d like them to fulfil. Regular training will also remind them of their value to your company. This will all add up to better motivation, which always results in an increase in productivity. It’s always worth looking for expert help. There are professionals that specialise in specific areas of training that will suit your business. Whether you head towards some sales training providers, logistical experts, or office wellbeing specialists, you’ll never regret the investment. As a business owner, you’re also likely to learn some new skills from them too, which will only boost your company further.
Getting your employees onto relevant courses or conferences is another way to ensure that they feel valued and that they’re able to keep up-to-date with the latest in your, and their, line of work. They’ll be able to learn more to develop their role, and will also bring back information to your office, or place of work, so that you can make the most of what they’ve taken away. You could ask everyone who’s attended a conference or course to create a presentation on their learnings, this way, they can share with the rest of the team.
Their Wellbeing
It’s not only your employees’ growth within the company you should be concerned about. It’s also vital that you pay attention and take care of their well-being in the workplace. This can include ensuring that their life outside of the office is going smoothly. Remembering that your team are not robots who can switch off their outside life as soon as they step into the workplace will allow them to communicate what’s happening, and how it may be affecting their performance. Understanding that situations pass will ensure that you retain your staff members, as they won’t feel like they have to leave their job if they have a challenging week or two.
Regular check-ins, on a one-to-one basis, will ensure that you’re aware of what everyone is experiencing both inside and outside of the workplace. This will keep an open line of communication flowing so that you can accommodate any new needs, like some flexible hours, or implement any change necessary during their working week. Informal group meetings are also the perfect chance to assess how everyone is working as a team. You can gauge what’s proving successful and what needs to be changed and get a good idea of the relationship dynamics with the business. Strength in co-worker relationships is a crucial element to a business’s success, so it’s worth paying attention to this.
If needed, you can implement well-being days. These will give your staff a regular chance to focus on something else that they need to do, even if that is rest. This can improve productivity and ensure that employee retention is high, as it’s an appealing element to any job role. Investing in mental health professionals like counsellors and hypnotherapists, who can visit the office regularly, is another route you could take to prioritise your staff’s wellbeing. It’s a chance for them to unload and relax in a confidential capacity — again, ensuring that they feel valued and part of the team.
Weekly yoga or relaxation sessions, or leisurely office breakfasts before work, are also excellent ways to build team relationships and are an obvious way to show your staff that they matter. They’ll go through their working week without the dread of any monotony, even during busy and hectic periods that every business experiences.
Their Job At Hand
As you consider how to invest in your team’s personal growth, development, well-being and happiness, you can continue to cover all of these bases. Employee frustration within their job role is often what causes resignations once staff members start feeling underappreciated. Therefore, it’s always worth looking at the latest technology, both in the digital or online space, and physical things like office equipment or warehouse machinery to boost their performance.
There are plenty of digital and online tools that can speed up specific processes in your business, ensuring each staff member performs at their best. This will impact job satisfaction, productivity and business growth, positively, so never delay in researching what’s available and investing in something to suit your company. The same goes for any equipment or machinery that your team and business may rely on. Slow and faulty items will not only frustrate your employees, but they can be hazardous and a threat to their safety. Therefore, you must always ensure that things are working efficiently and be prepared to invest in something new when necessary.
Understanding how important your team is to your business, and treating them as such, will be a guaranteed way to boost your company next year so that you can continue to thrive.
