4 Ways Focusing On Your Employees Will Change Your Business Creating a nurturing and motivating workplace environment for your employees will increase production, and maximize your success.
By Tyler Leslie Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The world of business is a highly competitive one, and it takes only the slightest adjustment in your business to gain an advantage over your competition.
Most businesses either focus on manufacturing new products or improving their customer service; both of which hold a vital role in the continued success with your business. What, though, about focusing on your employees?
By focusing more attention on your employees and their overall happiness within your company, you instantly increase the potential to grow your business dramatically, almost overnight.
The most loved, respected and successful of business owners, Richard Branson for example, understand the key to a success business is always striving attract the happiest and most efficient employees.
The key is: business owners look after their employees, who in-turn look after the customers, who look after the business, and as a result the business looks after the owner.
Here are four ways focusing on your employees can change your business:
1. Show your employees you truly value what they do for your company.
A lot of companies seem to do the opposite of this. They treat their employees as if they own them. They talk to them like they're easily replaceable and make them despise working for the company. Talking to them with respect and showing empathy towards them will help them feel better about working for you. Employees attitudes towards customers are a huge factor in getting their business or not. Show your employees you care about them. Provide them with a company lunch every 2 weeks. Invite them out to a company get-together outside of the office once a month. Even just giving them a day off here and there for personal reasons will make them grateful they work for someone that truly cares about them.
Related: What It Takes to Be a Boss Every Employee Loves
2. Create incentives that will motivate your employees.
Most businesses overlook the benefits of creating performance incentives. There are many upsides to to this. Performance incentives create a motivating factor for the employee to reach above and beyond a goal in order to receive an incentive. Businesses can start by creating small weekly or monthly incentives. Offer a free lunch of their choice, or a monetary bonus, for reaching that goal. Even offering a paid day off for reaching a monthly goal X number of days early will provide the motivation to work even more efficiently and harder to get that extra day off. Providing incentives to your employees can show them that they are appreciated for what they do.
Related: 5 Ways to Keep Employees Inspired and in Love with Their Jobs
3. Share your goals with your employees.
From what I understand, a lot of businesses don't do this. They don't share their weekly, monthly, yearly goals with their employees. In my opinion, this is a huge mistake. Sharing your goals with your employees has major upside to it. It will allow all employees to be on the same page and they will all understand in what direction they are headed. It will also make employees feel like they are an actual part of the company by knowing the company's goals and where they want to be. Everybody wants to feel like they are integral to something, and allowing your employees to know your goals as a company will make them feel more comfortable and will resonate with them on a more personal level to help you reach the goals.
Related: 5 Ways to Set Up Your Employees for Success
4. Welcome your employees' ideas.
Most businesses don't welcome ideas from employees. They believe they know everything they need to know about the business and their ideas are better than what the employees could come up with. This way of thinking can cause businesses to miss out on great ideas from employees that are on the ground physically running their business. Sometimes employees have better ideas because they get feedback from customers and actually see customers reactions to certain situations. Welcoming ideas from employees is a great way to bring in fresh new ideas and make your employee feel like they are bringing something to the table. Acknowledge an employee's idea and recognize them within the company for bringing a great idea forward. It will energize an employee to see their idea being utilized in the business and will create a sense of accomplishment within themselves.
Related: How to Welcome New Ideas and New Employees
There are many ways to grow your business, and far more expensive ways to grow your business, but just by changing your mindset about your employees and showing them they're appreciated, will give them th eincentive to help grow your business. Remember, employees attitudes are based on the owners attitude towards them. Treat your employees better than the customers and your employees will make sure your customers are always taken care of.
