Keep Your Employees On Your Side

Keep Your Employees On Your Side

Running a business is an exhilarating ride. No two days are ever the same. There is always something new to be thinking about. No matter how much planning you do, outside factors keep changing your game plan. You need to be on top of so many different things. And not just day to day to day things. You soon become aware that you need to be an expert in human and business psychology. You have to try and understand how your customers think. You have to understand your employees.

When you take on an employee, there are many things to consider. No matter what the size of their role in your business, they are now a part of you. You are in this together. The wise employer does not underestimate the importance of this relationship. He or she knows that to run a good, successful and happy business, you have to keep your employees on your side. How can you do this and still run your business efficiently and profitably?

Communication

It is simple to say it, but sound, and effective communication lies at the heart of every relationship. This is exactly what you have with your employee. You have established a new relationship. It might seem straightforward enough to make a list of expectations. After all, a new member of your team wants to know what is involved. You’ll have to devise a good, sound and legal working contract. On the other side of the coin an employee may ask you a question or two. The most common being, how much will I get paid?

They will also make a lot of assumptions. They will assume that you are going to take care of all their legal rights and your obligations don’t stop there. You take on responsibility for their health and safety at work. You will have to keep them up to date, not just with their responsibilities but also with any updates that may affect them.

Your Obligations

They will expect you to know about their holiday pay as well as their tax obligations. You’ll be expected to be knowledgeable about minimum wage as well as issues regarding rest breaks and days off. There’s a lot to think about, and a lot to take care of. Quite rightly these are all a part of your responsibility.

Being open and upfront about these issues is paramount to good communication. It makes sense to have flexible professional help who can assist you with any number of these issues. Employment law advice is a vital area to have covered. It will affect every aspect of your business and your relationship with your workers. Ensure you have the right help.

When things start to go wrong

Inevitably there are moments when expectations on either side come adrift. An employee, for whatever reason, may not be happy. There are some things that you simply cannot be expected to take on or deal with. However, there are issues that could be resolved before they amount to anything more serious.

Again communication is a key part of the process but you have to ensure that you know what your legal rights are. If you have sound footing, then you know how far you can go. It’s amazing how one small discrepancy can start to become an issue. For example, an employee who thinks that they have not been paid correctly can become disillusioned very quickly. Likewise for expectations of holiday pay and even sickness benefit. Most of these issues arise as a result of bad communication or misunderstanding.

Knowing about these issues means they can be resolved fairly easily. As an employer, you understand that people do not come to work for the love of it alone. It is the remuneration and the rewards for that work that matter to the employee.

Set out your stall

Be on their side from the beginning. Let them know what they can expect from you. Encourage them to read and understand their contract. Leave no stone unturned. You will let them know about their responsibilities and likewise you have your own. The best thing you can do is to have professional guidance at your fingertips.That means you will be able to talk to people who have been there before. They will understand the problems and most of all they will be able to advise you to implement solutions.

Keep up to date

Encourage health and safety consultants to come into the workplace. Don’t look upon such visits and consultations as interfering. Rather you are getting the best professional advice out there. That advice is making your workplace more efficient. It is making it a safer place. It is encouraging everyone to be a part of the process. It is helping you find ways to improve your business.

Dealing with the consequences of misunderstanding.

With the best will the world relationships break down. Needs of individuals and companies change. You operate in a marketplace that is subject to the whims of supply and demand. There will be times when you need more employees and times when you need less. Goodwill is not always going to prevail, and inevitably disputes will arise. When this happens, you will want and need a professional solution. It will be much better if you can have someone working with you who understands your business and someone who has been there before.

Arriving at the best result.

Disciplinary tribunals and employment law problems can have an adverse and negative effect on your company. They are draining and time-consuming. Getting the proper advice and help can go a long way to mitigating these fallout effects.

At the end of the day, everyone wants your business to succeed. You will want to do everything you can to ensure its success. That goes for getting the right brilliant, enthusiastic employees to help you.

It means being open and honest about what you expect. It means giving the right incentive for a good job well done and sharing your successes. It means being professional, accepting guidance and help where you need it. Above all, it means having your employees on your side.