Business Operations

Hiring Staff

Depending on the demands of your market, you might not be able to handle operations by yourself. Hiring and developing employees is important for efficient operating and growing the business. There are some legal steps you must take in order to hire your employees legally. This article outlines the steps you must follow when taking on the responsibility of being an employer.

WSIB

Most industries require that your employees be covered by the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB). It is important that the safety of your workers is taken into consideration and the proper steps are taken to protect them. To register your business with the WSIB and to find out more about their coverage, visit their website.

Being a Good Boss

Being the boss of employees is not only a huge responsibility, but also a determining factor of your business’ success. Work will be difficult and stressful if your employees don’t respect you as their boss. You need your staff to be a highlight of your business, and their success will contribute the success of your new business. Some steps you can take to being an effective boss include:

• Recognize the fact that you need your staff to succeed. You aren’t able to handle everything yourself, so you cant expect to receive all the credit for the work that is completed, or for the success that the business achieves.
• Trust your employees and delegate responsibilities to them. Nobody likes to be micro-managed, and it is disrespectful to treat workers as if they are useless. Train employees properly to handle tasks, and then let them handle such tasks without interference. Even if they don’t complete the job exactly the way you want it to be done, everyone has their own approach and it may be more efficient than the way you would do it. If their method works just as well as your method, step away. Avoid constantly correcting people, which can affect their confidence.
• Recognize employee’s strengths. If you get to know your workers individually, you are able to determine who does what is required of them, and who does above and beyond what is required. Utilize these employees to your advantage, and reward them for their dedication.
• Empower your staff. Enable them to make decisions on their own. If you have done a good job training them, then you must believe that they will act in ways that are in your best interest, and in the best interest of the business. If an employee makes the wrong decision, try not to discipline or chastise them. Use this as another training opportunity, teaching them what to do if they come across a similar situation. Talk to them and find out why they made the decision they did. Chances are, there was a logical thought process.
• Encourage workers to settle conflicts themselves. If it is a matter of clashing personalities, remind the employees that they are not required to be friends, but they simply must cooperate to get their work done. Listen carefully to them when they come to you, and if someone is mistreating a worker or not fulfilling their own responsibilities, then you must step in. If the situation escalates to the workers acting inappropriately in front of customers, put a stop to it immediately. Don’t let their personal problems affect your business.
• Deal with problems quickly and directly. Be honest, but don’t be harsh. Try to understand the employees point of view of why they did what they did, and help them understand why this is not okay. You need to look out for your business, but that is not reason to damage a relationship with an employee in the process. Be sure that once a matter had been dealt with, it is done. Don’t dwell on past mistakes. Avoid having an important conversation with an employee in front of others. Have it privately in your office. Be authoritative, but don’t be antagonizing. It is not necessary to cushion such discussions with flattery or compliments. Be direct and serious, and make sure the employee knows why you feel that what they did is unacceptable.
• Appreciate your staff—and let them know it. Don’t hesitate to compliment employees on a job well done, especially in front of customers. Thank them for their hard work. If your employees feel valued and appreciated, their job feels more important to them than simply a paycheque. Their goals to have a successful business will mirror your goals. If customers can recognize your good standings with staff, it makes them feel comfortable with your business, as if they are in good hands. Show your appreciation by doing something special for them. Even if it is as simple as bringing coffee for them in the morning, this contributes to their feeling of importance.
• Be an effective listener. Hear your employees out when they have concerns.be fully engaged in what they are saying, and allow them to finish speaking before you start. Acknowledge what they have said, not necessarily saying that you need to agree with what has said. You may not need to take any action, but hearing them out is important to their sense of significance. Say something like “I appreciate you telling me this” to make them feel that they were heard.

For even more ways to be a good boss, read this article.

Customer Service Tips

As a small business, your employees are only part of your success. Your customers are the people who are putting money into your pocket. Whether you have customer service experience or not, this is a skill that is vital to your success. This article outlines 10 important tips for small businesses to follow. Always remember that every single customer is an important customer.

From the moment you make contact with a customer for the first time to the last time you ever see them your handling of that relationship is always being evaluated by the customer so treat them as if they are as important to your business as they truly are.