Employees: Can’t grow with them, can’t grow without them.

How many times have you said to yourself, if only I didn’t have to employ people? It would be so much easier to employ robots but let’s face it, it would be pretty boring….and I wouldn’t have a job. With all jokes aside (I hear you say ‘what you were joking!!!’), if growth in your business means employing people it can be a minefield of legislation, personalities and dealing with the old adage of ‘bringing your personal lives to work’. Then if you can get past those, how you do you increase productivity to ensure sustainable growth?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer but there is an answer. Firstly, you need to ask the right questions. How involved are your employees in developing the way you do things, or in other words, your strategy? Do you have the right people in the right roles to make your strategy happen? Do your employees have any idea how your business is really travelling?

Now before you start screaming at the screen saying ‘You have to kidding, I don’t have time to ask those questions’, you have come to the first hurdle. You need to dedicate time to working on your business. How many times have you heard that? You also can’t do it by yourself because we all know the story our employee’s give us as their leaders isn’t the same as what they tell their work mates and people outside the business.

We all know each business is different so why are we applying the same ‘formulas’ to each of them. I have met so many business owners who are searching for best practice but I ask ‘which practice is it best for?’ You need to understand your business’ story and data. You can’t formulate a plan unless you know what you are working with. There are a number of tools available to SME to understand your culture, employee and employer satisfaction and in turn, your organisational capability and position for growth.

If you are looking for answers, seek out the experts but remember how long it took you to get here, don’t expect it to change overnight and without some hard work. The results, however, can be astounding.

For more information go to the ‘Recognising Great Workplaces White Paper.