Business Owners Should Be Looking After Their Employees: Here’s How

By Business Desk

Friday, February 2, 2018.

Resources are a vital aspect of any successful business. However, it is all too easy to overlook one of the most important resources, the employees that you have working for you. In fact, without those folks that turn up every day, your company wouldn't be able to run. That is why it is so essential that you do your best to take care of your employees as much as you can. Read on to find out how.

Pay good wages

Ah, the old wage debate! It is something that business owners often debate. Do you pay a small amount and keep costs low, or do you increase wages and recruit the best possible people for the job?

Well, in our opinion it is the latter choice that wins out every time. Why? Well, it's because by paying fair or even above average wages you are investing in the success of your business long term. After all, there's only so long a person can work for someone that is paying a poor wage before resentment starts to kick in, and they look elsewhere for employment. 

When this happens you as a business owner are losing a valued and trained resources, and an integrated member of your team. Something that can cost you big regarding disruptions to work productivity, the extra effort it takes to recruit someone, and the motivation and morale of the team overall.

In fact, it's always better to keep a good worker by paying a little more, than it is to lose them for the sake of a few pence. That is why you wage rates should be as high as you can comfortably afford, even if you have to take a little from other resource areas to pay for it.

Look after their health and safety

Business owners should also look after their employees by watching out for their health and safety in the workplace. Health and safety is something that is not only an ethical concern for a business owner but is also a legal one as well. In fact, there are many specific rules you have to keep to when employing other people to work for your business, and it is well worth your time to investigate the guidelines in your specific field and location.

As a general rule though, with regards to health and safety, there are three things to consider. The first is the immediate dangers that employees face in the workplace that are part of the job. For construction workers, this may be the risk of falling from heights or beginning injured by heavy machinery. While for kitchen workers this may include using cooking appliances and hot utensils.

To deal with this effectively, it is essential that you induct and train your employees well. Then they will be aware of the dangers and the actions they have to take to negate them.

The second issue that businesses owners need to deal with is any problems that are unnecessarily risky. These are issues that are caused by faults or unsafe practices that could cause harm to someone. Such matters are usually resolvable, although they may take time and resources to fix.

In a construction environment, this may include a hole that has been left open and not signposted. In a kitchen environment, it may be faulty electrical sockets that shock when used, or water that scolds the skin straight out of the tap. The employer needs to resolve these issues to protect the employee's health and safety and ensure that they are looking after them to the best of their abilities. In fact, if they do not so, they can leave themselves open to litigation and compensation claims in the long run.

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Lastly, in term of looking after your employees, it is important that you consider their comfort while at work. Now, we aren't saying that the work environment should turn into a fun zone with armchairs and foosball tables. However, making your employees as comfortable possible can help make them much more productive, and is good for morale.

With this in mind consider installing things like these anti fatigue mats in areas where employees have to stand for long periods of time like kitchens, shop fronts, and reception areas. For office-based workers ensure that their desk space is ergonomically designed and doesn't cause back or RSI problems. Even such small changes as providing lockers and separate toilet facilities for workers, so they don't have share with customers can go a long way to making work time more comfortable. Something that will pay off for employers in term because it can help to boost worker job satisfaction and performance over time.

See morale as your responsibility

Morale is not something that is always organically generated by employees in the workplace. In fact, it often needs the employer to take the lead and set the tone for the rest of the team to be successful.

Sadly, this is something that too many employers get wrong by shouting and criticizing and expecting this to make people work harder. Employers can even get frustrated when workers don’t do anything to encourage a positive atmosphere themselves! With that in mind, it is worth considering how you as an employer can better look after your employees by boosting their morale.

To do this successfully consider implementing employee of the week or month schemes that include financial rewards or an extra day off. Alternatively, you could run a raffle where those making sales in a retail environment earn tickets to enter, or you could even use a competitive points systems to allow people to earn their way to larger reward like days out.

In fact, introducing a little competition isn't such a bad thing in a work environment, as it can help people stay motivated, as well as make their jobs a little more interesting. Something that can benefit many employees, and is another way to make sure that you as their employer are looking after them, as well as your business interests.