Employees - Assets, not liabilities

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Employees are one of the most valuable assets a company has. They are the gears of the machine that is your company, and the basis for the quality of work it will produce. If you were to sit down with the vast majority people in the workforce today and ask why they left their last position, It would likely come down to three issues. Schedule, compensation, or management. Sometimes the combination of all three.

As business owners we have the opportunity to not only improve our own lives, but also improve the lives of those around us. You have the power to help people through hard times, show them they are valued, important, and needed. You have them ability to help them feel like they are a part of something, not a just a number on the payroll. All while utilizing their unique and individual skills within your company! While efficiency and productivity are immensely important when it comes to your small business, so is the quality of your team. This quality level starts in what type of people you hire, transitions in how you build them up, and continues in how you treat them. A team that has an enjoyable atmosphere, ample work/life balance, and a culture that is open to new ideas, will be less susceptible to burnout and displeasure in their position. Happy people do great work. Period.

A wise man once said - "work is a means to provide the life you want, it is not your life". This is a hard struggle to wrap our minds around as business owners. We are conditioned to feel as if 70+hr work weeks and late Sunday nights spent inspecting spreadsheets and forecasting trends, are the only way to reach real success within our organization. Now don't get me wrong, hard work is part of the price paid going into business for yourself, you will have those long weeks, you will have those late nights. That is what separates you from the rest of the world, your determination. Although, when you focus on quality rather than quantity in relation to work hours, not only will you enjoy what you do even more, every hour spent will be more productive and precise.

The same theories apply to your employees. Your staff is a direct reflection of your company. It doesn't matter if a particular employee is a back office staff member with no interaction with customers or clients, their quality of work reflects on your operation. As a consultant I catch my self watching and evaluating the staff members of almost every company I deal with. Whether it be the local coffee shop, grocery store, or even restaurant. I can usually tell if that staff member is happy in their position, appreciates their job, and in turn will give their best. The key is to do this regularly within your own operation. Its that simple. Take the time to look at your staff members as individual people, human beings, not just someone who completes tasks for the company. A person with a life, a family, friends, and aspirations. When you break down that barrier between employee and employer, it develops a strong connection that results in the needs of both sides being met with a much higher quality level. A connected employee will feel invested in the organization and in turn, their work.

Now, I will say there is a challenge that comes along with "breaking down the barrier". The fine line between employee and friend. We have all seen it, and some of us have been in this position personally, myself included. We have a staff member that once that barrier is down, you become good friends. Lets be honest, our friends and family let us get away with a little more than someone whom we do not have a connection with right? This is where it can get a bit tricky. A careful balance between the authority of a leader and relationships between you and your staff can be a tough juggle. The last thing we want is to show favoritism to one employee over others, or not act on correctable items in fear of compromising those relationships. This is where your personal skills will shine. Accountability and mutual respect should never be compromised.

In conclusion, This is all a very long way of saying - "Treat people how you would want to be treated, and in turn they will make your company shine like never before". We all deserve to be valued and our skills acknowledged. Once that core value is applied to each piece of the puzzle that is your organization, the culture, ideas, and quality you have developed will blossom like never before. Be kind, take care of your people, and they will take care of your and your business.