Optimize Human Resources’ Communications
The main expenses in almost any business are payroll, employee benefits, and payroll taxes. So exclusively hiring the sort of people who, like you, will work harder and longer than the average employee will go a long way towards your ultimate success as a company.
When you are running a business, one of the most important tricks of the trade is effective communication among employees and management. You need to stay in touch with your staff and make sure the whole team is working diligently on your goals.
It’s important to communicate your ideas and feelings freely and regularly with the relevant participants at departmental meetings to help boost morale and advance the organization. Think through what you want to accomplish and how it can best be done. Do not hold pent up frustrations simply because you feel a project moves too slowly or not as planned—just keep working on it.
All the tasks that you decide are required to meet your goals should be put on an up-to-date to-do list as they come up and then completed assiduously. This can help you distance your organization even further from competitors who overlook this same simple organizational opportunity.
Casual conversations “at the water cooler” can often generate good information flow. In a relaxed environment where people have their guard down, they tend to conduct “free association” and share their strategic enthusiasm with others who are in their business peer group. Aside from new ideas that are uncovered, chit chat serves as another Best Practices sounding board for existing initiatives.
Management should welcome input from employees on all matters, but once a decision is final, there is no need for harping about one not getting his way or hard feelings. Business is business. Nothing should be a personal attack or be perceived as one.
Trying to do ambitious projects on a budget, against fierce competition, can only be done with a rigorous commitment to goals, and without any negative feelings. If you have something to say to management or an individual regarding an area that you would like to help improve, you should say it directly and in private.
When a manager, who is responsible for a project, asks someone to complete a particular task, it is then that person’s responsibility and must be on his or her to-do list until the task is complete. A supervisor should not have to delegate the same task more than once. If someone cannot handle the task because of time, skill, or other constraints, the supervisor should be made aware so they can then reassign the task as soon as possible.
In return, staff should not only react to management’s demands but should push the envelope to a new level by offering to take on new responsibilities, which will advance the company and therefore themselves. All employees should be cross-trained in multiple responsibilities so they are as productive as possible. Everyone’s responsibilities should be clear because the whole team needs to be on the same page for everyone to succeed.
