So, your idea has turned out to be more successful than you thought, and now you are managing a small business. Congratulations! However, the learning curve never flattens, and you might find out that you are not as well-versed in handling employees. After all, you are an entrepreneur, not a human resources expert! So how can you keep your growing team happy and productive? 

It is Not Always About Money!

You can never go wrong with raises and promotions when it comes to motivating people. However, if your business is still at its infancy, you might not have the funds to pour into human resources. Here, understanding what drives each member of your team can help.

A great way to discover whether you are a good match for each other is during the hiring process. Interviews and one-to-one conversations are an excellent way to write down the reasons why a person is seeking a job in your company. It could be the excitement of being part of a growing project, the business’ ethos, or the opportunity for personal growth and experience.

If you can understand the drivers, you can leverage this power and offer your team members more of what they want out of the job position. And most of the time, it has nothing to do with a raise!

Recognition and Feedback

Since you are cultivating your still-small business, you might not always be sure about the decision and direction you are taking. Pointing out mistakes and faults can quickly make your team lose trust in your leadership. And from there it is all downhill!

Instead, focus on what an employee is doing well. Celebrate successful projects and new ideas. Acknowledge your employees for their achievements and victories, and offer constructive criticism if needed. Feedback is undoubtedly the way forward, but you will have to deliver it in the right way! 

Lastly, ensure you are actively listening to the feedback your employees have to offer. Aside from sourcing new concepts and ideas from it, you can pick up on what is not working correctly yet and improve it!

Get External Help

Arguably, one of the worst things for a dedicated employee is not receiving their salary on time or in the right amount. And, even by pouring all the intentions and efforts into managing your team, you might not be a capable personnel manager just yet. If you tend to be forgetful or you struggle with paperwork and regulations, opt to hire an external human resources manager to do the job for you.

Aside from saving you time, you can gain some more headspace to focus on what you can do best: create and expand your business! Whether you need to understand better employee health benefits Orem ut, or you would like somebody to take over payrolls and paperwork, hiring a professional can be a wise move! 

Bottom Line

Competition is not just for customers, but also for employees! If your business is still not doing a great job at attracting and retaining the best professionals, re-evaluate your strategy. Recognition, team-building initiatives, incentives, and feedback are all optimal methods to keep your team happy and the morale high.