Even in today’s economy, turnover for small businesses is still a problem, says Vivian Scott, author of “Conflict Resolution at Work For Dummies.” To keep folks around for longer than a few weeks or months, consider taking a look at what you might be doing to work against yourself. Look at a number
of aspects for clues to areas you could improve.
Start by considering your hiring process. Don’t over- or under-sell a job; that only results in you hiring the wrong person. If you take your time, you’ll find someone who wants to do that job, not the fantasy one you’ve created for the interview.
In the screening process, ask really good, open-ended questions that get prospective employees talking. For example, rather than asking an interviewee if she likes to work with numbers, say something like, “Tell me more about the detail work in your last position.”
Let other employees participate in the interview process. Ask them to concentrate on specific areas for feedback like the person’s skill level or ability to handle stress.
Have documented policies in place that clearly outline mission statements, goals, job responsibilities, etc. It’s OK to treat employees like family, but run your business like a business — even if you only have four employees. You can never go wrong with clear communication — verbal, written or otherwise.
After you’ve taken on employees, let them do their jobs. Taking a committee approach causes employees to step on, over and around each other. Ideas are great, but individuals should make (and be responsible for) final decisions.
Find ways to praise and reward often. Even when times are tough, taking 30 minutes to have a one-on-one with an employee or bringing in the occasional box of donuts costs very little and goes a long way in making employees happy. Have regular staff meetings and make sure to mention what people are doing well.
Address problems as soon as they arise. All your employees watch how you handle difficult situations. If you let one person get away with poor behavior, others make a note of that and those types of things play into a person’s level job satisfaction. Stay committed to seeing a problem through. If an employee needs training, get him training. Tell him what to do rather than telling him what to stop.
Finally, if you do have to let someone go or an employee leaves, make sure to debrief with the others. Talk about what happened, let people process their emotions and let them help build a plan to fix whatever they feel needs fixing.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
