The people behind a business are one of its most important assets.  It’s essential to make sure you run HR smoothly to keep them motivated and productive.  Satisfied staff will produce better results and have lower rates of absenteeism.  My husband has his work cut out juggling his team at work.  Without a dedicated HR department, it can be quite time consuming for him keeping the staff happy.

Luckily there are resources out there to help you manage your staff more effectively.  You could try something like the new CoreHR system which gives you the tools, advice and guidance you need to keep your employees satisfied.  So that is one avenue you can explore if your wondering what to do to retain and motivate your workforce.

There is lots to consider when managing your staff.  It’s not as simple as paying them for the work they do.  Often it can feel quite complicated and daunting keeping your staff happy.  They are all individuals with separate hopes and aspirations!  Don’t expect what makes one happy will work across the board.

So how do you go about keeping your staff happy and eager to turn up to work?  Naturally they all want to be paid well but you don’t always have to give another pay raise to motivate them.  Here are a few other approaches that work well.

Training and Development

You need to look at their training and development requirements.  Staff love it when you take an interest in their personal growth.  You don’t want them getting bored in their current role, so give them new responsibilities to challenge them!  I remember feeling much happier in work when I was given extra tasks.  I didn’t see it as more work I saw it as a chance to develop a new skill base!  It gave me pride in my work because I wanted to do a good job knowing they trusted me to expand my role.

Value Their Feedback

Listen to what your staff have to say.  They can be valuable contributors to how the business has run.  Make them feel respected and appreciated.  If they think the company believes in them the staff morale will be much higher.

Open Communication

You want staff to feel like they are welcome to communicate with management.  Have an open-door policy and regular meetings so staff know what exactly goes on.  They will feel part of the bigger picture then, not just a little cog in a big wheel!  But a vital part of the team!

Team Building Exercises

It’s great to plan an event that gets everyone together and thinking outside the box!  This can increase employee engagement and cohesion.  Staff will feel closer to management and you can all create some great memories and transferable skills in the process.  We did a few of these types of events during my management degree and it really helped our class connect.