How To Build A Strong And Happy Team For Your Small Business

Building a small business is an extremely rewarding endeavour, and one which continues to reward you as you continue to invest your time and energy into the growth of your enterprise. There is little to compare with entrepreneurial success; when something goes well, it goes well. In a difficult economy, though, and at a time where half of all small businesses are expected to fail within three years, success is not a given. So what makes it a given?

There are a few commonalities between businesses that perform well enough to not just survive, but thrive – and while it may be tempting to say the qualities of their business leaders are some, this isn’t quite the case. Powerful as it is to be a driven and principled business leader, it is in fact the strength of your employees that make your business the success it deserves to be. So how do you build a strong staff cohort for your small business, from the ground up and with a bright future firmly in mind?

Set Clear Expectations

The devil is in the detail, and this goes just as much for the content of an employee’s role responsibilities as it does for the success of your white paper. Many start-ups try to adhere to the ‘move fast and break things’ approach of the Silicon Valley success stories that revitalised entrepreneurialism, without recognising the sheer luck and immense collateral damage such bull-in-a-china-shop approaches necessitated.

In short, don’t be like the other entrepreneurs. Slowly, steadily and methodically work your way through your business model, identifying needs and allocating them to prospective roles. Every role should be comprehensively described, so as to remove any ambiguity; you want every employee to know their role, and to fill it completely. This also enables you to properly track employee successes and performance; orient KPIs specifically around each employee’s ‘gift’, and ensure everything is communicated transparently.

Communicate Regularly

Speaking of which, good communication is the bedrock of a cohesive workforce. Not only should different departments be in open and transparent communication, but you as a leader should be in open, transparent and two-way communication with everyone. Team meetings are great progress reports if structured correctly, while one-on-one check-ins give employees the chance to air concerns, and know they’ll be heard. Don’t use these opportunities to micro-manage; rather, recognise that communication is key to trust, and trust is key to progress.

Create a Positive Work Environment

Communication is one of a few key routes towards the creation of a positive work environment. Good company culture is vital for making your business a compelling option to prospective job candidates, as well as for future clients; trust is vital for making this a reality.

For instance, employees do not want to feel micro-managed or ‘babied’, but they do want structure and clear goals. Rather than micro-managing an upcoming business trip, instead entrust your chosen delegation with prepaid cards to handle their own expenses. Rather than reactively handling inter-office behavioural complaints, proactively create an inclusive code of conduct that goes far beyond the legal frameworks already in place.

In short, put your employees first, recognise their humanity, and recognise their professional autonomy. You will be rewarded with a dedicated team that works for you, and with you – with less money given to hiring new staff as an added bonus.