It’s the morning, and your staff walk into work. There faces look as though they haven’t slept for weeks, and none of them can muster a smile. It is plain to see that they hate their jobs. They come here to get a paycheck at the end of each month, but have no real interest in their roles. You might rush to blame them for this issue, but that would be a mistake. In reality, the blame lies with you.
When you are managing a group of people, you want to make sure that everybody works to the best of their ability. The only way to ensure that each employee works hard is to provide them with the right work environment. As a manager, it is your duty to assess the workplace and see how you can change it for the better. Only then, can you make sure that everything works as it should – like clockwork. Use these straightforward ways to make sure that you have an excellent workplace and top notch staff.
Set an example of how people should behave
When you walk into the office, all eyes are on you. If your staff see that you are in an awful mood, they will start to fear you. You can’t run a workplace by making people afraid of you. If you try to scare people into doing what you want, they will start to hate you, and many of them will leave for good. From the moment you get to work, you need to show people that you mean business. Greet people when you get there and show them that they can approach you when they need to do so.
Give people regular breaks
People can only concentrate on a particular task for around thirty minutes. If you find that your employees lack energy when it comes to their roles, it could be because they don’t get enough breaks. When you force people to work without taking breaks, you will see that they have no motivation. Rather than just giving people a lunch hour, why not give them a couple of extra breaks as well. You could give people one break in the morning and one in the afternoon. Doing so will make a massive difference to how hard they work. Consider creating a positive breakroom atmosphere inclusive of coffee machines as well as cost-effective bottleless water coolers for offices in order to provide productive break spaces for employees.
Make your employees’ jobs easier
You might think that your staff are there to make your job easier than it would otherwise be. While your employees need to help you, you should also help them with their roles. For example, if you get some software from AccuPOS you could make your accountants job faster than it is now. There is no need to cause people extra strain when it comes to their roles. In fact, if you improve the jobs of your employees, you will see a positive change in their attitudes.
Keep people up to date with business news
If you run a small company, it is vital that you keep people up to date with news about the business. When people feel that they are part of something bigger than their role, they will start to invest in it. Now and then, tell people what is happening when it comes to the company. When you win a new client, let everybody know about it. If you include your staff in the day to day running of the company, they will start to care more about what happens to it.
Hold at least one meeting per week
Every week, you need to make sure that you hold a meeting with your staff. This event is a chance for you to tell people what is going on with the company. It is also an opportunity for your staff to ask you anything that is on their mind. You should allow your staff to ask you as many questions as they need to do so. That way, if any of your staff needs extra help, they can let you know about it right away.
Try some team building exercises
Your employees need to be more than just a group of people; they need to be a team. If you can make sure that everybody gets on as well as they can, you will find that things run smoothly in your workplace. You could attend a workshop with your employees to make sure that they all get to know one another. Failing that, you might want to take them on a staff night out so that they can bond. These simple ideas will mean that your staff feel as though they can connect with each other.
Give people a chance to develop their skills
Everybody wants to achieve things in their life. If you show people that there is a chance for them to progress within the company, they will start to try harder than they do now. Give people the opportunity to enhance their skill set and move forward in their career. Once people can see a clear path to success, they will start to work towards things. Offer your staff a chance to gain extra training for their jobs. That way, you can see who wants to progress and who is happy to stay where they are.
Nip workplace bullying in the bud
If you notice that one member of staff is picking on another employee, you need to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. Workplace bullying is a serious problem for many people. The last thing you want is for your staff to feel as though they can’t tell you about things. It is up to you to notice when there is a bully among your workers. If someone uses intimidation tactics to scare other employees, that is bullying. Once you notice that there is a genuine problem, you need to sort it out.
If you provide your staff with the right environment, you should see that they work hard for your company. In the long term, that means that you will have a strong workforce. With the right attitude, your staff can do almost anything – you just need to show them that.
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