Hiring staff

Investing in your staff can result in your business going from good to great, Richard Holden, head of franchising at Lloyds Banking Group, says

We operate in a competitive trading environment and successful business owners have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, as well as what sets their companies apart from their competitors.

What makes this difference is simple - their people.

Abilities

The people you employ really do matter and you must invest in them to bring out the best of their abilities. This can often be overlooked in the day-to-day pressure of managing the logistics of the business. Improving operational efficiencies, marketing campaigns and sales initiatives can only increase profits so far, but what can take your business to the next level and make truly great businesses is your team.

By investing in their training and giving them the tools to excel at their job, you will demonstrate how important they are to you and your business. Ultimately, this could well be the one factor that takes your business from good to great. The most successful businesses we work with continually show that they value and appreciate their staff, and in return their team would give their all for their inspirational management team.

Putting people first requires a different mindset than what most business owners would recognise. Change starts with you. To become a great people leader, you must focus on why you are in business and not what your business does. Your behaviours will inspire your team and, in turn, they will have better interactions with your customers. The potential rewards could be massive.

Whether you have long-serving staff or a transient workforce, the first step is to understand what motivates them. Take the time to connect with them, understand their needs and help them by increasing their job satisfaction. You’ll benefit from loyal staff, better customer service, greater productivity, increased sales, more repeat business and a positive environment to work in.

Loyalty is established when someone feels connected to your brand and when they identify with your values, feel like you listen to them and care about what they think. Whether it is a member of your team or a customer, loyalty is an essential ingredient to a successful business.

Changing the culture within your business may take time, but there are lots of smaller steps you can introduce that will make a big difference to your team.

Give your staff the opportunity to shine by involving them in the decisions you make - when an employee has a sense of ownership, they are far more likely to care about the business. You are not the sole source of great ideas and an engaged team will encourage positive contributions, although it shouldn’t be forgotten that the responsibility sits with you, so you need to make the ultimate decision.

Consistent

Staff will look to their leader to set the example and your own behaviours should be consistent with your business values, as this will encourage the desired behaviours in your team. In order to become a role model, leaders need to focus on the positive aspects of performance and treat their team with respect. Setbacks shouldn’t be ignored, but looked upon as an opportunity to develop the team’s overall performance. A collaborative spirit will have long-term benefits and ultimately improve your business results.

Sir Richard Branson once said: “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.”

All great businesses recognise that the service their people provide and the relationships they build are the key to their success.