You might have heard this a lot, but, if you take care of your employees, they will put in an extra effort and in turn take care of your business. There are many aspects surrounding this equation and many of them show themselves to be true. You probably never thought about some of the obstacles you might face as a business owner until you started your own business. You knew that you would be required to put a team in place and maybe you imagined that as long as your employees get paid you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth. The hiring process has become competitive all around the board in every industry and companies are seeing a larger turn-around rate than they have in years prior. So, how do you resolve this problem? Take care of your employees in new and creative ways to ensure that you value their worth!
Employee retention is important to keep your business running smoothly. Nobody wants to put the time and money into training an employee only to have them quit after a few months in. Steady employees invest themselves into your business and with time they learn and grow with your company including your vision. It is important that your employees are clear about what is expected of them and are able to follow through with those expectations. You might not always be on the job site, which is why expectations need to be clear. The same holds true as an employer.
You as an employer set the example for the culture of your company. You exhibit and live your company’s core values everyday and hold your employees and subcontractors to those same values. When on a job site for instance, the crew turns to you with questions that might arise or potential safety concerns. Your crew also expects that they be provided with the right tools and equipment necessary to complete a job. What if you wanted to go the extra mile? What about providing coffee or maybe lunch once a week? These are all very common gestures that bosses make to provide for their crew and have for many years. It keeps morale up and ensures your crew that you value their work and dedication to your business.
Now what if you really want to go above and beyond? What if you provide for your crew in creative ways that are not as comparable to other employers? Well then you have just shifted the competition in the hiring process and in the employee retention. Sometimes thinking out of the box can make a big difference. Instead of coffee, what about a gas card? Maybe instead of lunch, you could provide groceries for their families that day. Even flexibilities with schedules can make a world of difference such as extra days off or allowing time off for family/kid events. Not every perk needs to break the bank, but sometimes thinking out of the box can make a big difference.
Regardless of whether you go the traditional route of providing coffee and lunch or if you take the more creative approach, it’s important that your crew is taken care of. They are the ones that represent your company and they are the ones helping build your dream with you. Growth within a company creates growth for every employee. It’s easy to overlook the work someone provides because they do receive a paycheck at the end of the day, BUT building up your company culture can keep the employee turn-around rate down and provide a positive outcome for your construction business as a whole.
