While we’re still embracing the first few months of 2016, it may seem like it’s too early to review the success of our business for the year. Whether it’s March or September, taking a step back and looking at your businesses performance is always useful. Why wait until the end of the year to review your business, when making small changes now could help influence the year as a whole. Read our advice on changes you could make to help improve your business:
- Team Building
Team building is probably one of the simplest and easiest ways to improve staff morale and bring your employees together. This can be done low or high scale, and budgets can depend on how far you want to stretch. Think paintballing, or bowling to get the team’s competitive side out, or, if you’re really wanting to push the boat out, there are plenty of retreats and weekends away that focus on bringing teams together.
2. Training Courses
This is a ‘win-win’ – not only will your employees feel like you’re thinking about them, but you will also receive the reassurance that your staff are better trained. Training courses can be tailored to work to schedules that fit around your employees. Whether you want to send them on a one or two-day intensive course, or you’re wanting something more specific – make sure you take a look at what’s around to get the best course for everyone in your team. Take a look at what’s online, places like Global Knowledge Network have courses that are aimed at bringing your IT costs down, which will again, benefit both sides.
- Bonus Incentives
It may seem like an obvious way to improve your staff performance as a whole by looking into bonus incentives, but the thing that matters the most is that they work. There are so many new and unique ways you can look at enhancing your bonus packages and its key to remember that they don’t just have to be cash related. Think day trips, spa breaks and restaurant vouchers as new ways to make your staff want to meet and exceed their monthly targets.
- Ask For Feedback
The only way to know whether your current strategies are working, and how your staff are feeling is to ask for feedback. Whether this be internal meetings where you ask people to bring a few different points to raise, or whether you hold regular 1-2-1 sessions with your employees to allow them to raise their individual concerns privately.
- Keep your workforce fit and healthy.
It goes without saying that illness and sickness can have a knock on effect on your business’ sales and targets regardless of the industry you work in. Keeping your employees motivated and feeling fresh can help boost your overall performance. Think small scale things like having fruit delivered to the office, or, if you’re wanting to bring in bigger changes look at introducing gym memberships and cycle to work schemes to really get your staff thinking about their lifestyle choices.
Whatever you decide on doing this year, looking after your employees should be at the forefront of your 2016 strategy. Be sure to do your research and look into the different ways to look after your staff this year.
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