As a small business owner, you may have turned your entire focus to your customers. They are, after all, the people that are spending their money and keeping you in business. If you are focusing on your customers and ignoring your employees, you can expect to see your business fail. Why? Because engaged employees will have more satisfactory interactions with customers who will, in turn, spend more money with your company.
Here are ways that you can ensure that your employees are as engaged as they should be:
- Regular Feedback
Do not wait for yearly or bi-yearly reviews to give your employees feedback. Instead, shorten the feedback loop. Aim to provide feedback to employees at least once each week. Your meetings do not need to be lengthy. Simply praising your employees for positive acts or correcting their mistakes is enough.
- Share Your Goals
Your employees are the first people that will help you meet the goals of your company. They can’t do that, though, if they don’t know what your goals are. Share where you see your business going and how you plan to get there, and let your employees in on the action.
- Be Approachable
Being approachable doesn’t mean allowing an employee to spout off while you nod your head. It means that you are willing and able to hear what your employees are thinking and saying and take time to discuss their ideas and concerns. Your employees are more likely to give you their all when they know that their all is valued.
- Celebrate Victories
When your employees achieve something, make sure it is celebrated. If your employees do something and do it well, acknowledge it. Employees who feel as though their work means something will work harder.
- Assign Roles
If you take a close look at your employees, you will notice that each has a unique strength. Use these strengths to your advantage and delegate responsibilities. This will serve to engage your employees and help them see that their role within your company is valued.
The things you can do to engage your workforce are simple. Nothing need be drastic or dramatic. Simply listening to your employees and showing them that they are valued will do wonders for your business.