When you set up and run your own business it is more than likely that you are going to need a team of employees to help keep your business running smoothly. Although it is primarily your idea and concept you still need to appreciate the staff around you which contribute to the success of your business. Without them your business will struggle to get going, so ensuring you look after your employees is essential as a business owner.
Pay A Decent Wage
Ultimately the most important thing you can do to contribute to the appreciation of your staff is to pay them a decent wage for the job that they do. Without making yourself bankrupt you want to pay a good wage to encourage your employees to remain working with you. If they are able to get the same type of job elsewhere for a better wage then it is going to be difficult to encourage them to stay working for your business. So you will need to do some research before hiring your dedicated team, so that you are not underpaying them for the job they do.
Provide Them With Personalized Gifts
Nothing quite says appreciation than a personalized gift. It is more meaningful and demonstrates that you care about your staff. You could put together a gift basket of items that you think each individual will enjoy, or perhaps provide turkey certificates for employees around thanksgiving time. Any gesture that you can give, particularly around the Christmas vacation after such a difficult year will be appreciated by your employees.
Access To Mental Welfare Facilities
The past year or so has been particularly stressful and difficult for people to cope with due to the pandemic. When you are a business owner you should be responsible for the welfare of your team, as they are under your care. Having the contact details and providing access to mental welfare programmes is especially important when your employees start to feel overwhelmed, stressed and unable to cope. It is important to look after the mental welfare of your employees so that no one is quietly struggling.
Health Care
Having access to healthcare is very important. As a business owner legally you are not required to provide this if you hire less than 50 full time staff, but certainly for larger companies it will be necessary to provide some sort of healthcare programme for your employees. If your business can afford it you could try to organize a health care plan for your employees so that they have access to medical care.
Fitness Programs
Being physically active is just as important as looking after your mental welfare. You could organize some sporting activities on a regular basis to provide your employees with the opportunity to bond and do some exercise. It will be a welcome break from work for a few hours and will enable those that do not have gym access or time to do sport activities outside of work to get some fitness into their routine.
Team Activities
As a nice break it can be enjoyable to do group activities outside of work to encourage your employees to bond as a team. You could organize some fun events when you are not working to allow your staff to relax and establish friendships within the workplace. A happy team can be a far more productive and hardworking unit, so it will work in your interest as a business owner to be able to facilitate this.
As a business owner it is in your interest to look after the welfare of your employees if you truly want your business to succeed. Not taking care of your employees can lead to resentment, an unhappy atmosphere and your workforce deciding to leave your company in search of better prospects elsewhere, jobs in which they are appreciated and paid a decent wage. So definitely look after the welfare of your employees if you want them to stick around and to keep your business running swimmingly.
