Your staff is your best asset. And if you really think about it, where would you be without the staff that is dedicated to working with you? Surely we cannot handle everything in a business all by ourselves? However, often, we get caught up with just the business component of things and completely forget the human part of it. But keeping your staff happy is key to the success of your business. Here are some dos and don’ts that you may want to pay attention to, if you value your best asset – your staff.
DO prioritize work life balance
Yes, there is always a lot of work to be done, and there is always a deadline that was supposed to be met yesterday. That said, it is very important that you prioritize work life balance both for yourself, and your staff. If you expect staff to work at all hours of the night, on weekends and on holidays, you will have disgruntled staff, who are simply working with you till they find the next best offer.
DO offer flexible work schedules
Flexibility makes work and life easier, it also increases productivity. Our mindset really needs to become more progressive and we need to start thinking along the lines of how we can get tasks done and not really people to sign in and off at a certain time. At the end of the day, if the work is being done, and the quality is met, what does the time of the day matter?
DO listen to your staff
When your employees try to tell you something, whether it is a grievance or a business related matter, listen to them actively. Do not ever make the mistake of dismissing or undermining them and make sure that you do not jump to conclusions while they are speaking. Hear them out first and respect the fact that every human being can have their own perspective.
DON’T pick any favourites
Employees get very dissatisfied when they feel that there are some employees who are always being favored. It is a given that some employees will understand the work better and perform higher than other employees. Even then, it is not reason enough to have your picked favorites, who will then become the standard against which everyone is compared.
DON’T expect the impossible
People have limits. They may be very intelligent, talented and high performing individuals, but they certainly come with limits and you need to be able to identify those as well. Don’t give somebody ten difficult things to do and expect a result the next day. Give them reasonable targets and deadlines and let them know that if they come across challenges they will be assisted by the relevant people, even if that is not necessarily you.
DON’T disrespect them
Nobody likes to be disrespected. And that is something that can be reflected in the tone of a voice, body language or even direct speech. Either way, treat your staff with respect. If you are paying them, remember that they are providing you with their skills and services in exchange for that payment.
These are some of the common dos and don’ts you can implement to ensure that your staff stays happy. Remember that if your staff is happy, your customers will be happy too.
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