9 Motivational Guidelines When Managing Employees

Making the move to business owner and franchisee comes with many sub-titles. Entrepreneur. Self-motivator. Head honcho of all, he or she who is in charge of their own hours, self-employed professional, etc. But perhaps no title is an important as that of boss – as in, the one who others look up to for guidance and employment. They’re big shoes to fill, and it’s a title that comes with plenty of responsibility. First it means creating a budding company that needs workers to help make the machine work as a whole. Next it means helping business to continually grow, so that both you, the owner, and they, your employees, have a steady job.

Along the way, being a boss also means managing employees in an effective and positive way. Those who have taken this path have found more success with their professional efforts, they’ve had longer employee retention (and therefore more knowledgeable, loyal employees), and they’ve been able to focus more of their attention on other areas of work. With a team who is pulling their own weight (and then some), efforts are free to be focused on marketing and company efficiency.

A little positivity goes further than you’d think. Even when work gets rough, remember to remain upbeat about everyday situations. Simply by putting a better spin on something dramatic (or downplaying its effects) you can save yourself some grief, and teach workers to have a better attitude.

It’s easy to correct things when they go wrong. But do you also reward what goes right? Be sure to keep an even balance on this front so that employees feel valued for doing a good job, and aren’t overwhelmed by the few times they don’t.

When a situation arises, it’s important to have a set plan or round of guidelines of what’s to take place. No surprises, no favorites – everyone knows what to expect each time around. This might not make you the favorite boss, but it shows you’re consistent, and it’s hard to argue with what was previously in place … even if you don’t agree with the consequences.

It’s always nice to be told you’re dong a good job, but it’s also nice to be shown. If you’re able, consider providing discounts, product, or some other type of reward for those who exceed your expectations. It’s a step that will help ensure they stick around for the long haul.

It’s simple, it’s effective, and it’s a huge morale booster  … as well as a surefire way to increase workers’ knowledge base. Consider offering company-wide classes, or encouraging employees to take courses that interest them most. So long as it’s leaning toward professional advancement, you should most definitely be on board.

If employees see you avoiding a task, they’re likely to avoid it too … even if it’s something that’s technically “their” job. Showing you aren’t too good or too proud to do the same undesirable chore will leave them far more likely to complete it – and to the best of their abilities – on a regular basis.

As a boss, you’re likely to notice who’s good at what. Take that knowledge into account and then assign tasks accordingly, allowing workers to shine through their individual talents. Let the employee who’s great at math run the cash register, have the gal who’s extremely organized clean up the break room if things are slow. Maybe an intern can add good input toward your marketing efforts. With this step of putting folks on jobs they’re trained for will not only help do them better, but it will get them more excited about work.

Every company has them – the jobs that no one wants to do. But they still need to get done, no matter how much dread they might cause. However, it’s also unfair to always assign them to the same person (assuming that person dislikes the job as much as everyone else; if you’re lucky you can actually find the rare gem who likes said task). That way the burden is held equally with all employees, and no one person is feeling more slighted than the rest.

Your company should work together as a team effort. And as a team, you’ll have to jointly find unique answers to different circumstances. While most business will consist of daily norms, it’s your job to coach the team in order to successfully take on the task at hand when it doesn’t. That way you can find a path that’s best for all involved, and utilizes your workers’ best talents.