One of the most important assets any business can have is the people who work for it, no matter its size. Having the right employees will beat profit and connections every single day of the week.
Employees help make a great first impression; they ensure ideas are brought to life, and they are the backbone of any company. Here are reasons why having the right employees is a must.
Company Culture
The power of having a positive and strong company culture has always been underestimated. Excellent communication, professional yet close relationships, and the ability to rely on one another are all aspects of incredible company culture.
When these factors are combined, you create an environment that lets people thrive, as they know they are heard and valued. This means they will be more productive and achieve more for you and your business.
Achieving Goals
No matter how you are or how good you are at business, you will never be able to achieve your big goals and dreams without a team. That team can be ten people or a thousand; either way, employees are the ones that bring the big ideas to life.
Multiple Ideas and Input
Having a diverse group of employees from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages allows for more holistic thinking and idea generation. This variety of employees also provides multiple ways to attack a problem or project.
This is a factor that many businesses don’t consider, and while it doesn’t affect you immediately, the long-term problems are apparent. Businesses often find that they miss out on opportunities simply because they didn’t have the right insight.
Efficiency
One of the more obvious and simple reasons to have a team is that you are far more efficient. How many times have you been to a fast-food restaurant and there is nothing fast about it because only three or four people are working at one time?
Having a properly sized team will get work done quicker, you will have more people available for customer service, and your company will run smoothly at all levels as there will be enough people to handle any workload.
Communication
Communication is key in every type of business, no matter the size. A common complaint from employees at all levels is that they feel like they aren’t being heard and that their needs aren’t being met.
Open lines of communication also lead to a less divisive workplace, as well as a lessening of office politics. This generally leads to people being happier, there is better conflict resolution, and your business is able to function at full capacity.
Employees Reduce Costs & Improve Sales
A factor that isn’t always noticed, is how much money a loyal team of employees can save you and how much money they can make. Retraining and rehiring require money and work slows down if there isn’t an employee in a particular position or if that person isn’t proficient at their job.
On the other hand, employees who have been in their job for a while are better at making sales and therefore are much more efficient at making money.
Customer Influence
Staff plays an enormous role in finding and retaining customers. It is incredibly common for someone to frequent the same coffee shop because the barista makes their daily latte just right or always using the same tech repair person because they always fix your problem quickly and effectively.
Restaurants are a perfect example of how servers can make up for a sub-standard meal simply by being very friendly, helpful, and accommodating. “I like the people who work there” is a very, very common reason that people use to justify visiting a business.
People Over Money
There have been many examples in the news recently of bosses choosing their employee’s well-being and happiness over money. CEO’s taking significant wage cuts to give their employees bonuses or taking them on yearly work getaways to relax and bond.
This leads to employees respecting their employer and their jobs more. They know that if they perform better, the company will make more money, and they will end up being rewarded. Paying employees what they are worth and letting them have a life outside of work allows them to perform at their best.