Making sure your small business stays one step ahead of the competition can prove challenging at times.
As a small business owner, you likely have limited financial capital with which to work with. That being the case, it can be tricky trying to always get your message out to consumers, along with keeping your employees happy in their present roles with you.
When it comes to that latter point, what are you doing as a small business owner to make for happy and motivated workers?
Remember, smarter and happier employees are a big piece of the puzzle, the puzzle that keeps you going on as a small business owner.
Contributing to More Education
In the event you want to give those employees interested in a better overall workplace experience, you can assist them in a number of ways during their time with you.
Among these:
- More education – While not all employees will want to take advantage of this opportunity, offering workers the chance to take courses while under your employ is beneficial to both you and the employee. For you, you typically get a better-rounded employee, one who will be up to speed on the latest goings-on in their line of work. With those added skills, they can then utilize them in the workplace, helping both themselves and ultimately your business. Whether they are interested in coursework involving an online master of accountancy, retail sales, digital marketing and advertising, the list is literally endless. By having more qualified employees in your workplace, you increase the odds of staying in business for a longer period of time. As technology and other areas of the business world evolve in the coming years, your employees will need to beef up on their qualifications in order to stay on top of workplace needs;
- Chances to move up – What employee does not want the opportunity to move up at a business and earn more money? Yes, some workers settle into “comfortable roles” with companies, content to stay where they are for as long as they can. Many others, meantime, want the opportunity to advance in their careers, giving them the possibilities of adding to their resumes and of course earning a better salary. As a small business owner, you may have a limited number of growth opportunities at your place of business, but for those opportunities that do exist, encourage your staff to want to reach higher. In doing so, you position your small business as a leader in your respective industry. When customers (current and potential) see this, they are more apt to want to do business with;
- Encouragement does matter – Lastly, be the small business owner that encourages his or her employees, not the want always looking to put them down. While most bosses see all the benefits of being a motivator, some are stuck in their ways, ways that simply revert to trying to control each and every move that takes place in the office. If you are one of those people, do you really think that is beneficial to your overall business success? Workers coming into the office each and every day feeling motivated are much better than those who simply dread setting foot in the workplace. Why would some employees dread day after day? Maybe their bosses simply do not encourage them enough to succeed and/or always are expressing to them like they can never do enough to please. Yes, you at times need to give an employee a little boot in the rear (not figuratively of course), but try being more of an encouragement type of person, not one thriving on negativity in the office.
From offering additional educational opportunities (many of which will ultimately lead to advancement possibilities in the company) to encouraging your staff that they are doing the best they can, you have much control as a small business owner.
While the bottom line is making money for your company, you also have a responsibility being in charge to lead your team.
Leaders are those who get the most out of their employees, not the ones who let them flounder during their time of employment.
About the Author: Dave Thomas covers small business topics on the web.