As much work as you may put into creating and running a business, you’re only as strong as your weakest employee.
Unfortunately, workers experience burnout, lose the drive they may have had as new employees, and tend to give up over time.
This problem is absolutely no reason to fire them all and start from scratch; attempts to do that are incredibly costly in time and money.
Instead, work with the employees you have and help create a space where they’ll be excited to work for you for years to come.
Let’s learn more about this from former Polycom CEO Andrew Miller.
Show The Value Your Company Has For Them
You don’t have to do a ton of raises or work to offer free lunch every Friday- instead, you create incentives for employees to work towards.
Don’t only offer prizes to one percent of employees; this number may be daunting and may give others even less reason to try. Instead, rewards around the top thirty percent of workers.
The rewards you pick should be something you can afford to lose. This change could mean that the top thirty percent of workers get an extra fifteen-minute break during the day or get points to save up for excellent prizes.
The more attainable the rewards seem the more likely your employees will put in the work to win them.
Consider Retraining or Refreshing
You may think you have your workers figured out or that they’re set in their ways, but you can’t let that sway how you feel. Instead, work with them to create a fluid environment that grows and stretches with them.
This option could mean that you put in the time to add training and refresher sessions every couple of months or reward employees for learning more on the job.
Some companies offer courses employees can take, that offer a five to ten cent raise every couple of months. This plan adds up for the employee, ensuring that you get to have an educated workforce.
Ask What They Want From You
Business is nothing but a big give and takes, even with employees. Work to create a space where your employees feel willing and capable to talk to you when they’re unsure.
You can aid this by having anonymous comment boxes or emails to inform you what they want to be done within the business.
This action allows them to tell you what they need to succeed, and you can then go over that information and decide if any of it suits you. Don’t shy away from listening to your employees.
Look to Other Companies
If there’s a company or CEO like Andrew Miller that inspires you- follow in their footsteps. Of course, you shouldn’t copy everything they do step by step, but let them inspire your next few moves.
This action means you’ll have a projected plan, and you’ll be able to see where your company should end up.
Of course, this isn’t perfect every time, and you should tweak the plan to match your specific company’s size and employee base. Following this plan can give you an excellent springboard to start off.
