What is the most important asset at your business? No, it isn’t your fleet of vehicles, oodles of high tech equipment, or even the accolades you have earnt. Your most important asset is your team.
So are you treating them as such? It is really important to make sure that you show your staff love. Staff Engagement can really make or break a business – you should definitely make it a priority. And you can’t love your staff unless you cover off the basics first.
Let’s look at the basics of staff engagement and what you need to have for a happy and productive team.
Why Staff Engagement?
Staff Engagement should be a regular part of your business plan. It is more than just having happy workers (although that is one of the benefits – it also affects your business profitability and overall culture. Here is how…
Lower Employee Turnover
Respect breeds more respect. If you show your staff that they are valued members of the team, they will want to remain a part of the team. Hence, lower staff turnover.
Improves Efficiency and Productivity
Staff that are engaged will be more invested in their work. If your whole team is involved in working towards a common goal, there will be a drive to succeed. Things will get done quicker and more efficiently.
Improved Customer Service
If your team are happy in their work then this will reflect in their attitude. Their overall morale will be higher, so they will deliver impeccable service to your customers. When your customers have a positive experience with your business then they are more likely to return and increase their overall spend with you.
Profits Increase
Engaged staff are more conscious of what they are doing. That means they are careful with their expenditure and look for ways to increase profits. They also don’t increase costs by stealing pens from the stationery cupboard to spite a nasty boss!
Happiness Rises
Staff that are engaged are happier at work and in their life outside of work. Being engaged infuses everything they do with purpose, energy and enthusiasm.
The Basics for Staff Engagement
Happy and engaged staff do not happen by chance. You need to lay the foundations to ensure that you have a great team attitude. It starts even before your new person joins the team. The first three foundation pieces are…
1: An Employment Contract
Every team member should have an employment contract. That includes full time, part time, casual and even volunteer staff. An employment agreement is a legal requirement and signifies an understanding between employee and employer. It lays out the expectations on hours, remuneration, company standards, annual leave and a whole bunch of other things.
Both parties must agree to the contents and can seek legal advice should they choose to. Once signed, employee and employer know exactly where they stand with each other. It is a document that both parties can refer back to in case of a dispute.
But most importantly, it sets the scene for a good relationship between you and your staff member. It shows your professionalism, but also the fact that you value them as an important part of the team.
2: A Job Description
As part of the employment contract, an employee’s job description outlines the tasks and duties that make up their role. It should be written at an appropriate level for the role. At the very least it should include the job title, the employer’s name, the job’s purpose, tasks and responsibilities expected, reporting lines, minimum qualifications or licensing, the place of work and the performance measures.
Having a comprehensive job description again encourages a good start to the employee/employer relationship. The employee will know exactly what to expect from the role before they even begin working in it. That means no confusion and no nasty surprises. It also means the employee won’t have unexpected gaps in their knowledge or a lack of necessary skills.
3: An Induction
Once all the legal paperwork is out of the way it is important for your new hire to have a positive start with your business. That means being ready for them before their first day on the job. Have a functioning workspace ready to go when they walk in the door.
Meet them as they arrive, introduce them to the team and begin a pre-planned induction and training schedule. Get rid of some of the nitty gritty beforehand and send them any forms to complete before their first day of work. That way they can hit the ground running and immediately be part of the team.
Being prepared for their arrival will show your new hire that you are pleased they have joined their team. They won’t have to question their place with you and can just focus on learning the ropes. Not only do they get a positive experience, but there is no wasted time for you as an employer.
As you can see, staff engagement means more than just happy employees. The morale of the team can affect the overall performance of your business. Make sure you nail the basics in the beginning and you will set the relationship on the right path.
Taking on new team members, or lifting the morale of existing staff can be hard to navigate. If you are having trouble with this at your workplace, then you need the Spice Gals. Not only will we help you with dotting the legal i’s and crossing the t’s, but we will inject irresistible fun and flavour into your workplace so that your whole team will look forward to coming into work each day. Get in touch with us to see how we can help your team today.