Welcome to the weekend. I have heard many stories this week of employers treating employees unfairly. Employees are a company’s greatest assets – they are the ones who work round the clock. If you want to attract and retain the best, you have to provide them with the best and make them feel that they are an integral part of your company’s mission.
When a company takes an active and genuine interest in her people, when they invest in real-time to understand their employees at the fundamental level, they create an environment for more productive employees and greater growth. Below are some common mistakes and some best practices.
Some employers think they can ride roughshod over the employees and still get work at optimum capacity. Gone are those days. Wake up and smell the coffee while it is fresh. Most mistakes made in this regard can be easily avoided. When mistakes are made, the best employees vote with their feet. The following are avoidable common mistakes.
Making unnecessary rules because that can decrease productivity. For example, an overzealous attendance policy that can drive one mad, especially in these Covid19 times. Inequality and unfairness may convert top performers into laggards. Why should they give their best if commendation has nothing to do with performance or does not even exist.
Companies not considering a pay hike for the performers. Increasing salaries for everybody regardless of performance, behaviour and attitude. Providing salary hikes are considered important to retain your best employees. Boxing people in and not letting them pursue their passion may jade them quickly. It is a myth that if allowed to follow their passion employees will not focus on their jobs.
The office environment should be interesting and not just about work. Management styles should not be draconian. Employees don’t leave jobs, they leave managers who treat them badly. As Steven Covey said, companies should treat employees, as they would want their best customers treated.
The key to business success lies in customer satisfaction. Employees are the internal customers. Making them feel good and motivating them has a higher probability of making significant contributions to the organization. Here are some ways to improve employee productivity.
Especially in these Covid19 times, companies, where possible should look at more flexible timing for employees. Ensure there is a ‘work from home’ policy which helps reduce running a staff bus, office space and travel time. In one of my other articles even before covid19, I had said the new workforce will desire more flexibility. Studies, surveys and polls reveal that flexible working is key to retaining productive employees.
Respect your employees and treat them as if they are not just a factor of production but the reason the company is making profit. Alley their fears and resolve their concerns. Collecting frequent feedback is also a good practice. Mutual respect goes a long way in building the relationship.
Mould your employees to be entrepreneurial. Share ownership and responsibilities with them. Show them the importance of delivering quality products and services to customers. Be a role model for your employees. Make them better than you. They may leave you once but they will look back and appreciate you for what you did for them. Hire your employees based on their attitude more than their ability. I have said this so often, I am blue in the face. Attitude over skills always. No training can change an employee with a bad attitude. So better you err on the side of caution while making hiring decision.
Ensure there is employee growth along with company growth. On the job trainings, online and classroom trainings and vendor product knowledge trainings. See employee feedback on ways you improve your business. This might throw up new strategies. Feedback can also be related to the issues that your employees face giving you a chance to help resolve them.
In organizational change, communication must be of high priority. Employees need to have regular communication with their peers and managers in order to feel like a part of the team. This also helps keep them on track and give them much-needed support.
Communicating helps you to know your employees closely. Not only that you can know their abilities more clearly and assign them to works in which they are most interested in. Also, communicating and asking opinions to your employees makes them feel important. They realize how important they are for the company.
Employees must be fearless especially with job security. They must be confident that in a crisis they will not be tossed out of the company. This builds loyalty in them.
The company must be transparent in all its dealings. For example, company policies so everybody is clear on what to expect. You should not try to solve issues on a case by case basis. Consistency and uniformity is important when it comes to policies. Keeping secrets encourages a grapevine that will only cause disunity.
Forging team spirit is the place where profit emerges. There is nothing a team cannot do when united. Some managers pit employees against each other which as it is said makes the company fall because, divided we fall.
The above is not exhaustive but please bear in mind that the employer will not get very far without good staff. Have a good weekend.
