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Too often, business owners are so focused on their company’s financial results that they forget to pay attention to the people who are helping them achieve those results. Use these practices as a way to strengthen the relationship between you and your staff.

1) Diagnose and provide constant feedback. Ditch the yearly review and implement a more frequent, informal review process, where lines of communication are always open, constant feedback is always being given and received, and any issues are highlighted and discussed prior to becoming a larger problem.

2) Pay Up. Industry standards ‘tell’ you how much a position is worth or what their hourly rate should be. However, as we know in every company, there are individuals whose efforts far exceed the norm. That is why paying for the person vs. paying for the position ensures that you are offering a better than average compensation to keep your team engaged and motivated while avoiding frequent turnover. The efficiency of a loyal and unchanging team who have been together for a while and are all paid more than fairly is far more beneficial than the lower cost of a team with high turnover that is paid fair/average compensation.

3) Listen. As an employer, it is often assumed that your position is one of hierarchy, full of demands and controls on your staff. However true, your business should be run as a idea meritocracy not as a forceful dictatorship. By bringing together a team of free thinkers, willing to share their ideas on practice growth and development, it ensures that your business will provide the best options to keep your clients satisfied and service unmatched.

4) Build an extension of your family. Take time outside normal business hours to get to know your staff. Take part in team building exercises, staff outings, holiday parties, training lunches, and staff family get togethers. By viewing your employees as an extension of your family vs. just as staff, a bond and trust will be built that is essential for your growth and success.

5) Grow together. Take time to have all of your employees list out the following:

• What am I doing at the company (responsibilities)?
• What do I want to be doing/ working on?
• What do I not want to be doing/working on?

 

Having your employees list out their responses to these 3 basic questions can provide a roadmap for their success, your success, and the company’s success.