Three Important Points for
Effective Employee Management
Effective employee management is a complex topic, but here are three basic points you always need to remember.
Point 1:
People are different. And the degree to which they are different is astounding.
This point is fundamental to effective employee management. It's simple and basic, but it's frequently overlooked.
Too often, business owners mistakenly assume that employees see the world as they do, and assume that employees will respond as they would in various situations. This is usually not the case, and these owners are frequently disappointed and confused when actual employee behavior differs dratically from the owner's expectations.
* Action Item: As a business owner, always remember that each employee sees the world through his or her unique (and sometimes surprising) lens, and this unique perspective affects all aspects of the employee's performance.
Point 2:
As your business grows, its success becomes less dependent on your own production and output and more dependent on the production of your employees. Your role in the business must adapt to this evolution.
If, when you started your business, you were the only worker, your own productivity was the sole determinant of your success. When you add your first employee or two, the success of your business may remain largely dependent on your own performance, but this responsibility begins to be shared with others. As you add employees, you eventually cross the threshold to where the success of your business is dependent mostly on the performance of others, and not you.
As the success of your business becomes more and more dependent on the performance of your employees, your responsibility evolves to creating a supportive working environment for your employees so that they can perform to their fullest. This responsibility can be demanding and time consuming for business owners.
This second point ties directly into the first point, because creating a supportive working environment requires appreciating the uniqueness of your various employees. This is not a "one-size-fits-all" matter.
* Action Item: Before hiring your first employees, consider whether you are ready, willing, and able to adapt to this new role. Some business owners, for example, simply don't want to take on the responsibility of managing employees and the workplace. Business owners who want to focus exclusively on the productive aspects of their business, or who possibly feel that they don't have the talents needed to manage employees, might be better off continuing to operate solo. Alternatively, such owners might consider whether another person, such as a trusted partner or office manager, should handle the employee management responsibilities.
* Action Item: Remember that, when managing employees, you should not apply the Golden Rule. Do not treat your employees as you wish to be treated. Instead, get to know your employees, determine how they each wish to be treated, and treat them as they desire (which will be somewhat different for each of your "unique" employees).
Point 3:
Employees perform best when there's a close connection between the aims, purposes, and values of the business and the aims, purposes, and values of the individual.
One of the primary motivating factors for employees is the enjoyment of their work activity. This enjoyment is found more easily when employees believe the business is pursuing a worthwhile purpose, and that their personal efforts are making a valuable contribution to this purpose.
* Action Item: As you consider prospective employees, take care to evaluate whether these individuals are likely to feel a personal connection to the aims and purposes of your business. Do not look at raw skills alone, but consider whether the prospect will commit his or her energy and skills to what your business is trying to achieve. Various employee evaluation tools and services are available to help you with this process.
* Action item: Once hired, be sure you nurture the link between the aims, purposes, and values of the employee and the aims, purposes, and values of the business. Regularly communicate to your employees what the business is trying to accomplish and why that's important, as well as how the employee's work contributes to the firm's progress and success. Whenever possible, create opportunities for your employees to utilize their specific interests and talents on behalf of the company and its purpose.
To learn more about a simple approach for building a successful, high-performance business,
see How Business Really Works.
