Employees are the link between the customer and the product, assuring not only a smooth transaction but also a degree of satisfaction that keeps customers coming back. It's an important function they play, one that can be riddled with difficulties that can be considerably reduced by taking a few simple steps. These seven suggestions will help your staff flourish, which will benefit both them and your firm. #### 1. Determine what you require If you don't know what you need them to do, you can't expect them to succeed. You are the one who begins (not simply stops) the ball rolling. Employees are frequently hired by business owners and managers to offload tasks without much thought or forethought. They simply recognize that they are overwhelmed and require assistance. If you have employees or are considering employing some, think about what you need them to do. This isn't just a random collection of tasks. Determine the end aim for each position and ensure the duties you assign help them achieve it. This procedure should be well-planned and executed. By the end, you should have a thorough grasp of how everyone in your operation interacts and supports one another, not just defined roles for each position. The structure of your organization will become clear, and you'll know exactly what you need from each member of your team. #### 2. Define their function Now that you know what you need, you must explain to your employees how they will do it. The job description is as follows. This important document includes more than just job responsibilities; it also details the outcomes, abilities, and behaviors that will be demonstrated. These particulars are the result of the research you conducted to discover what you require from your personnel. It's not simply how many sales you need to close or how many gallons of beer you need to manufacture; it's also what you need them to contribute to the entire business and how you want them to behave while doing so. You should also determine what you want them to acquire during their time in the position because it's not just about performing tasks but also about gaining knowledge and mastery. #### 3. Establish explicit guidelines. This is where you set everyone up for success by stating precisely what you expect of them and what they can expect in return while in the role. This is a guidebook for employees that includes everything from sick days to annual reviews. This set of well-defined human resource documentation is essential, regardless of how tiny your company is. Here are some fundamentals to consider: ##### Affidavit for new employee This is a straightforward summary of employment terms, including the official start date, pay rate, and any "at-will," "right-to-work," or other state-specific employment law terminology. ##### Employee Benefits Description This document outlines the various perks that an employee may receive (outside of their pay rate). Include rules for paid time off, stipends for cell phones, personal vehicles, wellness; product and service discounts; and other appropriate benefits. These can be tailored to certain roles within your company, so make as many as you need. ##### A diagram depicting the employee feedback and review procedure. This covers your personnel review schedule, grievance procedures, and corrective action policy. ##### Manual of operations It doesn't have to be a novel, but it should be comprehensive. This is where you list the numerous protocols and processes that staff are responsible for following for all elements of your organization. Clearly explain the methods required to correctly execute all jobs you expect your personnel to do, from shop opening to product manufacture. You can't expect someone to run things correctly, let alone consistently, without those steps. #### 4. Give organized feedback Provide feedback to your employees and encourage them to do the same. Employee reviews, grievance procedures, and corrective actions are all part of the job. Don't be alarmed by this. There's no need to pay a firm to draft procedures that contain enough legalese to keep a team of lawyers occupied for a month. All you need is a series of straightforward, easy-to-follow protocols that you follow regularly. ##### Employee evaluations Even if you only have one employee, you should analyze their performance regularly and provide constructive criticism. This approach not only provides you with a clear process for evaluating each employee but also allows them to ask questions and provide comments. Creating a two-way avenue for honest communication regarding employee performance is critical for fostering trust, ensuring employees are aware of your feelings about their job, and providing opportunities for both of you to improve. Corrective measures You'll almost certainly have to deal with difficulties with employee performance or behavior. You should have a formal mechanism in place to handle such encounters if this happens. Instead of contacting the employee in a heated, emotional state, having a structured method in place forces you to sit down and present factual information surrounding the issue. It also demands you to establish what constitutes acceptable progress within a specific time frame, with clear repercussions if those improvements are not achieved within that time limit. This is not only helpful for you, but it also recognizes the employee's humanity, giving them the chance to exceed your goals and become greater team members. ##### Disputation processes There will be instances when an employee will need to alert you to something. They may be having a problem with another employee, a procedure, a customer, or any number of other concerns, and they want you to know about it so you can help them. When employees bring their problems to your notice, they need to feel comfortable and supported. Creating a formal grievance procedure for them to follow is one smart method to do this. For topics that don't require a live dialogue, this can be as basic as an anonymous suggestion box for ideas and constructive criticism. Include a part where they can request a face-to-face meeting with their immediate supervisor (or someone higher up if the problem is with that individual) with the promise of follow-through and non-retaliation. Have a formal paper they can fill out before the meeting with actionable items that you both agree on and the date of expected action, just like you would for an employee review or remedial action. #### 5. Maintain consistency Success' kryptonite is inconsistent. Your employees will not respect you or the responsibilities, expectations, or feedback you provide without it. You will lose credibility if you say one thing and do another, or if you approach people or situations differently from one to the next. If this happens, trust will be shattered, making employee success practically difficult. The papers and processes listed above are designed to assist you to maintain consistency. They establish a foundation for addressing most employee-inclusive interactions and expectations consistently. Be aware of your surroundings and try your best to maintain consistency in all facets of your organization. When you make a mistake and admit it (because no one is perfect), your colleagues are significantly more likely to forgive you and continue to show their respect and devotion. #### 6. Be open in your communication. In any firm, uncertainty breeds gossip, which breeds assumptions, which erodes employee confidence and degrades any sense of loyalty. What can you do to avoid this? Communicate with your employees openly and honestly. Consider the following scenario: Assume you don't want to place a large inventory order due to financial constraints. While you don't have to share your P&L statement with your procurement manager, explain to them that you're being cautious with your spending for the time being and encourage them to focus on ordering just essential things until you give them the green light. Holding regular employee meetings is a good overall communication technique. These are "state-of-the-state" sessions in which you first update everyone on things you believe are essential, and then allow them to share wins and learning experiences with you and one another. You decide on the topic and frequency; if possible, monthly is excellent. It does not have to be elaborate or lengthy. Set aside an hour and perhaps go out and get some pizzas. Keep yourself on track with a documented itinerary and stick to the time limit. The most critical aspect is that you communicate with your team while minimizing uncertainty and assumptions. Also, be sure to compensate everyone for their attendance. These are, after all, required and should be considered official work time. This also applies to employee reviews and corrective measures performed outside of their regular work hours. #### 7. Maintain business relationships This can be one of the most difficult procedures for many businesses. Human interactions are important to us, and our employees can become like family. However, becoming best friends with your friends might lead to an uneasy connection at best and a hostile one at worst. Why does getting too friendly with your coworkers bring issues? At its root, the employer-employee relationship is one of professionalism. Not simply because you're swapping money for time, but also because each of you has a distinct role to perform, with one of you having fundamentally greater power than the other. When you add in close friendships or love relationships, things shift from professional to personal, leaving you flip-flopping between boss and buddy, finally causing the relationship to fall apart. It's not that you can't look out for your workers or be polite and helpful. Maintaining a professional relationship can assist you in doing so much better and will help you bond much more successfully than doing shots at the bar. Rather than attempting to be buddies, celebrate victories and face obstacles as coworkers, with mutual respect and honesty. You may develop procedures, methods, and behaviors that will assist your staff to flourish with careful consideration and constant effort. You can have the best individuals on your team, but if you don't do the work to assist them, they won't be able to achieve their goals. You are ultimately responsible for both starting and stopping the process. Great things await all when you recognize and accept that you are ultimately responsible for your colleagues' success.
