It is no secret: The success of a small business depends highly on the people who work there, performing the day to day work and/or interacting with clients.
As a business owner, you have two goals in this: You want to attract top talent to join your team, and you want to ensure that they are happy enough to stick around.
Why is this so important?
Long-term employees who are motivated and loyal are positioned to serve your customers well, they can offer valuable insight and knowledge into the company – and they give your business a good reputation, too. A business with a low employee turnover saves on the cost of new hires, and looks appealing to job-seekers as well as potential investors.
Sir Richard Branson, who has gone from success to success as a business owner, is a firm believer in employee satisfaction: “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.
Here are some tips and how-tos that will help you accomplish both parts of this essential business goal!
Part I: Find the right employee
First, you need to attract and hire the kind of people that you would want working for you long-term. Here’s a how-to for when you are hiring:
Look in the Right Place
When considering where to share your vacancy, think about where you would find your ideal hire. Your job posting is best positioned where it can directly contact top candidates who have the necessary experience and qualifications, not necessarily where it will generate a ton of applicants who would be wasting their time and yours.
Ask Existing Employees for Referrals
Another benefit of reliable long-term employees is that you tend to be able to trust their judgment. When filling a vacancy, ask your current employees if they know of candidates who would suit the role.
Be Clear About Your Expectations
Let potential candidates know what the essential requirements for the job are, precisely what the role entails, and the type of person for whom you are looking. Someone might meet all your requirements on paper, but they also need to fit your company culture.
Do Your Research
A great CV will give you a lot of insight into a potential hire, but digging a bit deeper could reveal a whole lot more. Take some time to verify that the information provided is accurate, check-in with references provided, and take a peek at the social media profiles of your candidates.
Ask the Right Questions
During a job interview, be sure to ask questions that elicit some insight into who someone is as a person. You want to establish that they are capable of performing the required tasks and that they are motivated, innovative, high-performing, able to think and work independently, and cooperative with others.
Part II: Keeping the right employees
Once you have found your perfect employee, turning them into a long-term employee means you need to keep them happy, motivated, and engaged.
The question ultimately becomes: What do employees want from their employer?
Recent studies have shown that while financial compensation and adequate time off are vital to employee satisfaction, employee well-being benefits have become one of the most important criteria for candidates when considering a new career opportunity.
Employee well-being includes physical wellness as well as financial, social, career, and emotional health. Being a source of support for your employees’ success in a holistic sense like this allows your business an opportunity to secure the commitment of a long-lasting relationship.
Show your employees their well-being matters by providing them with comprehensive health coverage.
An excellent way for business owners to commit to their team’s well-being is to offer them comprehensive health care benefits.
HealthChoice of Michigan, a program developed by Wayne county government, offers affordable, flat-rate health coverage options for your employees – as well as for you and your family.
Talk to us today about how we can help you reduce employee turnover and improve job satisfaction while you protect health and community.