Being a real LinkedIn advocate I’m aware of all the viral posts and main concerns that people have in the workplace. Unless you were some kind of young protégé Mark Zuckerberg type, you probably had a series of jobs before you took the plunge and started your own business or blog. Take a moment now and think back through your CV. I’m sure there were various bosses who you loved and hated for the way they treated you and the rest of the staff. It doesn’t take a genius to see that the way a business owner treats their staff has a big difference on the business as a whole, so here are some ways to show your employees you really care. Give Them Your Ear Take the time to set up casual, one-on-one meetings with the staff who answer directly to you, but instead of focussing on their performance and how they can improve it, simply ask them about their hopes, careers and dreams. Talk about their goals, both in the long and short term, and try to find ways that you can help them to achieve them. Ask about how they think their jobs are going at this point in their careers, and see if there’s any immediate changes you can make to help them perform better. When you ask your employees about the changes they want to see, and follow through to the best of your abilities, you’ll show them that you want to help them succeed, rather than simply serve a purpose. Offer Them More Than Their Salary Any professional who’s confident in the value of their qualifications and experience is going to know what they’re worth in terms of salary. If you really want to show them that you care, and give them the strongest possible incentive to maximise their productivity, then offering them a generous benefits package is one great way to go about this. From transport expense accounts to gym memberships to business health plans, there’s a wide range of benefits you can offer, which will really show your staff that you care. You’ll be able to boost office morale almost instantly, which will in turn boost productivity. Health plans and gym memberships could also encourage your workers to take better care of their health, which can help to minimise employee absences. If your workforce is getting by without much more than their standard salaries, think about changing that soon. Trust Them If you make a point of showing your employees that you trust them, it will invariably give them a huge boost to their morale. It will show them that you believe their skills to be developed and dependable enough that you can let them get on with their work without someone hanging over their shoulder. If you want to show your workforce more trust, just cut them a little more slack! Let them send out emails to clients without having to run them past upper management, or allow them to take full control of a process or task that they’re familiar with. You’ll not only strengthen the bond you have with your staff, but also save yourself a lot of time as CEO!]]>
Manage your staff to Manage themselves
