One of the most important things for any business is the performance of your staff. It is vital to recruit the right people, but once they are on board you have to ensure they are happy and motivated to provide the best possible service at all times.
There are several ways you can ensure that your staff are always at the top of their game, but I have always been a firm believer in making sure the people who work for you have an emotional as well as a financial investment in the business.
The obvious and most straightforward way of ensuring staff perform at their peak is through financial incentives. If you can link pay and bonuses to tangible results then there is an obvious reward for bringing in new work and customers.
But financial incentives will only take you so far and any good leader has to work hard if he or she wants to win the loyalty of the people they are managing.
The dictatorial or heavy handed approach might get quick results in the short term, but in the long-term the best way forward is always to forge a team spirit and feeling of camaraderie.
Everyone is different and it really does pay to take the time to get to know and understand your team. This way you can fully appreciate what makes them tick and what motivates them. Some of us need encouragement and support from time to time, while other individuals might be more self-motivated and independent.
Of course the larger the company the harder it is for the Chief Executive or Director to know all their employees and their strengths and weaknesses. That is why it is vital to make the right appointments in the management team as the organisation expands, particularly if you are dealing with a fast growing business.
It’s the job of the management to know everything about the members of their team. That is why they have been appointed to that position and it should be a key part of any job description for a team leader. Remember, a business is only ever going to as strong as the weakest member of your management team.
There are other more general ways you can promote a positive atmosphere in the work place. For the new digital companies such as Google and Apple, attracting the highest calibre of staff is essential.
The only way these types of firms can stay ahead of the opposition in a tough and fast moving market place is to have the best creative minds on board. To attract the top talent you have to create the right kind of working environment.
Leading companies in any field are expected to look after their staff properly, which can mean anything from creating a modern comfortable office space to offering breakfast for people in the morning. If you are expecting staff to go the extra mile for you then you have to offer something back in return.
There is also nothing wrong with injecting a sense of fun into the workplace. Activities and social events can be a great way of building up staff morale and team spirit.
Finally, and most importantly of all, remember to give praise to people if they have done something to earn it. Deep down people are all the same and everyone wants to be liked and appreciated. A little bit of praise at the right time can make a very big difference in terms of performance.
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