Create a Company That Talented People Beg to Work For There's more to growing your company than sales figures and production metrics can capture. Employee satisfaction is one of them.
By Tyler Leslie Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Starting a company is one thing, but building a company that talented people beg to work for is a completely different challenge. There are many companies today that focus more on the sales and growth of their company than on other essential features, like creating a place that people want to work.
If you want to create a company that makes a difference in the lives of its employees and, ultimately, a difference in the world, then it's time to focus on more than just another sale. Below I have provided some ideas I believe can help build a company that not only grows but excels in today's economy.
1. Align your company with a cause.
Aligning your company with a cause continues to gain popularity. Why? Put simply – good people want to work for good people. Business owners that want to make a change in the world often use their brand as a vehicle to do so and, in turn, attract employees who believe in the same cause. For example, TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need, somewhere in the world, for every single pair they sell. What most people don't know is that TOMS also does this with many other products such as glasses, coffee (which allows to them provide safe drinking water) and bags. A lot of people want to be part of something much bigger than themselves. They want to feel like they're doing their part in helping make the world a better place. Aligning your company with a cause will help you attract genuine people.
Related: How Two Ambitious Women Found Success With a Cause-Driven Company
2. Offer the opportunity to grow within the company.
People who research a company to work for pay close attention to how much growth the company offers to their employees. Employees want to be able to progress within the company as the company grows. As a business owner, if you can't offer too much growth right now in a financial aspect, then offer something that will make workers want to stick around for the future. Offer them a chance to implement some of their own ideas into the company. Make them feel like you truly want them there and that they matter to your company. Keep in mind, this approach will be different for everyone. Some would feel accomplished to have their ideas come to fruition and some won't think that is enough to stick around. Know the person you're talking to.
Related: 10 Ways to Grow Leaders in Your Business
3. Show your employees you're willing to do the work they're doing.
A very common complaint among employees is that the owner of the company isn't willing to do what they expect their employees to do. They bark orders at their team without any intention of getting their own hands dirty. Instead of being the business owner that gives out orders and criticism on how to do something better, be the one to jump in and show them. Show your employees that you're willing to take time out of your day to do the job they're doing. Help them, give them advice, lift them up. The people that work for you will respect you more for it.
4. Offer an open door policy for ideas.
Many companies only leave ideas up to the owner, the CEO, or sometimes, the managers. In my experience, companies are losing out on great ideas from their soldiers on the ground. Employees on the floor have the best customer perspective. They get to see and hear what the customer has to say. They know what the customer likes and dislikes. Creating an open door policy for sharing ideas from all employees, no matter the job title, can be a very strong incentive to your employees. Not to mention the advantages it has for business growth. Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. There's a good chance an employee of yours has a ground-breaking idea but you would never know it because you don't invite them to bring their ideas to the table. Keep in mind, most people want to feel valued and creating an open door policy for ideas will make your company that much more enticing to a talented person.
Related: How Successful Leaders Balance Skepticism and Openness
5. Respect your employees as human beings.
In my opinion, this is the most important element of all when creating a company. It's a common occurrence to hear your friend or your neighbor complaining about having a bad boss. They talk about how they are rude or they don't show any respect. This is the biggest turnoff for employees. They don't want to work for a company that has a boss that treats them like dirt. As a business owner, treating your employees like human beings and with respect will easily make your company stand out. Show your employees compassion. Talk to them and genuinely show them you care about their interests and what's going in in their lives. Create a healthy and positive relationship with your employees, and they will have your back.
Creating a company in this day and age isn't about how many products you can sell, it's about the stories you can tell. Creating something that is bigger than you is the ultimate goal to leaving your mark in this world. Create a company that stands for something or it will stand for nothing.
