If you have customers, your employees are your business and the face of your product/service to your customers. If you are a business owner or leader running a company, you can not do everything and you need your employees.
This year is the first time in history there are more jobs than people to fill them. If you are not communicating to your employees about what is happening in the business as well as how their job fits into the bigger picture you most likely will start to have turnover. Cost of lost expertise can be devastating to any company, but most devastating for the small/medium sized business.
I spend time and work in several different cities across the U.S. and one of my favorite cities is Asheville, NC. I love this area for many different reasons most of which include the artists community and food scene! One of my favorite places to eat (no this is not a food blog) is Chestnut which is a sister restaurant to Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village.
One of my favorite things about this restaurant is the owners showcase their employees on their blog. Each month they ask one employee to share some specific things about themselves to the community. Other than the one picture of the two owners, I never see them tout themselves as the one’s that built both of these restaurants to community greatness. Sure they had the idea to start the restaurants and put up the capital but they did not get it done all by themselves and neither. do. you.
In addition to showcasing your individual employees (or teams) on your company blog I’ve listed additional ways you can keep employees engaged in their jobs while they help you keep the lights on.
* Help them understand all aspects of your business – Depending on the level of the individual this could be as simple as providing them with materials on business basics all they way to having them shadow you and learn part of your job.
* Provide them with consistent feedback – I recommend using the 3 Question Session when you meet with them every week.
* Help them see the bigger picture of their job to the business – When employees understand how their specific role impacts the company, they are more likely to come to work eager to make a difference and do a good job.
* Instill in them to treat the company like it’s theirs – The more employees know about the company, where its heading, what the top and bottom line numbers are the more they can start acting like a business owner themselves. If they don’t understand their own impact on the organization, they most likely won’t put forth much effort.
* Provide them with opportunities to grow – If employees understand the value proposition of the company and how they can impact it, they will be more inclined to look for opportunities within the company to add value.
*Provide them with an open culture where they can tell it like it is – Foster an open environment where everyone can tell the truth. It’s better to get bad news before it gets too bad.
Employees won’t care about your business and initiatives until they know you care about them. After all Happy Employees equal Happy Profits!