Attracting and Keeping Employees As a Small Business

As a small business owner, you know how important your business is. You’re full of passion and motivation. You’re a leader of true grit and determination. But what about your employees?

Attracting and keeping employees as a small business can be a difficult task. Your company may be new or per­haps you worry that your employees will be lured away by the security a larger business can offer.

So how can you get and keep employees? Follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to

creating a strong, loyal, and cohesive community.

1. Connect. It’s important to build a strong rapport with your employees because friendship is one of the strongest ties there is. Employees value care and concern because while it’s nice to be appreciated for your work, it’s especially wonderful to be appreciated as a person.

2. Team building. It’s important to build rapport throughout your entire team. Help your employees work together by letting them play together too in a team sport or retreat. Give them something to look forward to by arranging a night out after work. Strengthen your community by having fun along in addition to getting work done.

3. Communication. Communicating is key to any relationship. Make sure your employees feel comfortable communicating with you too, if they have a problem or complaint. A study by Salesforce Research found that “Employees who feel their voice is heard at work are nearly five-times (4.6X) more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work”. Listening can go a long way.

4. Equality. The same study also discovered that “Employees who say their company provides equal opportunities are nearly four times (3.8X) more likely to say they are proud to work for their company”. So strive to offer equal opportunities to new employees because it will fill them with pride for their job and because it’s the right thing to do.

5. Flexibility. Flexibility in a job can go a long way. If you, as a boss, refuse to ever bend the schedule for your employee, resent will build up and they are more likely to leave. So stay open and flexible to improve relations and appreciation of the job. If possible for your business, allowing your employees to work from home or remotely is also an attractive benefit.

6. Acknowledgement. Everyone loves a compliment. Complimenting your employees on their fine work can boost their mood, motivation, and energy while also showing that you understand how hard they’re working and acknowledging their skill.