I was reading a recent article on Business on Main entitled 7 Employee Warning Signs that got me thinking about challenges for small business owners when it comes to their employees.
The article provided 7 warning signs for employees that may become, or are now, problem employees within the business. For some of the warning signs noted in the article, especially where harassment, substance abuse and the potential for workplace violence exists, it is absolutely essential for the company to have in place, and to follow, company policies and procedures.
What I particularly liked about this article was that it focused on the employee – and in particular – reaching out to help the employee improve the situation and/or correct the issue/get back on track. Too often I have seen business owners who “wipe their hands” of the problem employee. In one situation, a friend who owned a small business asked me why I thought she was having trouble hiring good employees. I asked her what happened to the ones she had. Her response, “The last two employees were so needy – one of them asked to juggle her work schedule for a few weeks while her husband was out of town so she could take care of their daughter – and the one before that was always asking to work on other projects, so she could ‘learn more’.” “So you fired them,” I asked her. “No,” she responded, “They left.” Hmmm…sounds like a problem business owner to me! And, yes, I told her so!
In today’s busy, hectic workplace when we are all trying to do more with less – time, resources, budget monies, etc. – home life bumps into work life regularly. The best business owners are those who spend some time establishing relationships with their employees. There’s a fine line, no doubt, and you don’t want to cross it; but there is nothing wrong with getting to know your employees. By doing so, you’ll have a much easier time recognizing the warning signs that Goldfield discussed in his article and narrowing down what exactly that warning signs means in relation to a particular employee so that you can help them. Employees who feel cared about – truly cared about, not just that someone is putting on an act – are more engaged in the business which is good for business! Things come up regularly that we must deal with and yes, while you have to watch the employee who takes advantage, business owners shouldn’t assume every employee will take advantage. I’m thinking back to my friend who lost a number of employees – simple conversations to get to know the employees and appreciate their challenges would have helped.
Your thoughts? What are some warning signs you have seen in your own business (or maybe just now recognize the warning sign was there for you based on the article!) and how did you handle it? Managing employees is never easy, but it’s part of the job description if you are running your own business!
Disclaimer: This post is a part of an online influencer network for Business on Main. I receive incentives to share my views on a monthly basis.
ithink it is human side, if you invest in emp,loees you got too much benefits.