The moment you decided to start your own business your whole life changed for the better and it also become a lot more challenging. As an entrepreneur you are responsible for every single aspect which contributed to the smooth operation of your business. From your finances to your employees there is nothing that you can ignore when it comes to running an efficient, well-oiled machine. You pride yourself on your attention to detail especially when dealing with your excelling employees. You remember what it was like working a 9-5 job in the most demotivating office environment you could ever imagine. You have always wanted to create a different kind of workplace for your staff, instead of making them go through the painful day to day issues you once had to grin and bear.

You have a few ideas about how you want to manage your employees and that certainly involves a more inclusive and hands on approach. You want them to feel included in every important decision that is made within the company, rather than leaving them in the dark. You want them to know that their opinion truly matters to you and that they should feel confident talking to you about any issue at all. Here are seven smart ways that you can get your employees to smile every single day as they step through the doors into the office. Motivated employees make for efficient work, so keep them happy and your business will thrive as a result.

Savvy Scheduling

If you are in charge of a large team of people, it can be very difficult to keep track of their shifts, holiday requests and overtime days. You might start to become overwhelmed if you don’t have the correct scheduling tools and software. Check out this site for more information on how to get more organized with staff scheduling. A schedule maker will ultimately make sure that you are on top of your employee’s whereabouts, as well as keeping them happy with their personal requests for days off. Be sure to consult the rules and regulations from the working time directive, so make sure your workers get adequate rest between working days, especially if they are shift workers who vary their start and end times.

Open Mind and an Open Door

You should always operate with an open door policy when it comes to communicating with your staff. As busy you are every day, trying to keep your company up and running, you should always make time for regular one to one catch ups with your employees. They should feel comfortable in coming to you with any problem they have; whether it is an issue at home to they are having a stressful time at work. Make sure you are always ready to listen and give good advice when they need it.

Interesting Incentives

Everybody wants the opportunity for a pay rise, wouldn’t you? Obviously it isn’t always going to be possible to raise everybody’s pay when they have done a good job, so start to think of other innovative ways to offer incentives to people who are excelling within your company. You could offer employee discounts, gift vouchers or a week off for anybody who goes above and beyond in the workplace.

Smooth Socializing

As hectic as your schedule is, try not to limit the time you spend with your staff just to the office. Make a conscious effort to invite them out for after work drinks or festive parties. Treat them to a dinner out during the holiday season and let them know how much you really value them. Sometimes buying somebody a drink in the pub after work can go a long way if they have had a tough day in the office.

Awesomely Accommodating

Try to be mindful of your employee’s preferences when it comes to their leave days and working days. You might want to offer out flexible working forms so that your staff can find a good balance between their work life and home life. If your employee has children, they might need to finish slightly earlier in order to pick them up from school. Try to be as accommodating as you can and take their requests seriously. You should be able to cater to as many of their needs as possible, whilst still maintaining a smooth running business.

Open Opportunities

Your staff members want to know that they have the opportunity to progress through the company over the years. There is nothing more demoralizing than knowing you are stuck in a dead end job with no prospects or chance for growth. During your regular catch ups it is important that you give them the opportunity to express their personal goals to you. You should then endeavour to make these happen, as long as they are putting in the hard work. Whether that is shadowing a senior member of the team for a day or taking a training course on a new area. Make sure the option is always there for them to embrace.

Respect and Recognize

Try to see each of your employees as individuals, rather than a mass team who make your business run smoothly. Respect each member of your team and give them recognition when they deserve it. Even a short and sweet email to tell somebody they have done a great job on a project can really go a long way. As long as you respect your employees, they will give you the same amount of respect in return whilst they carry out their job.

Your employees deserve to be treated with the utmost respect; they keep your business running successfully and they have played a huge role in your success in the business world so far. Never neglect them or disregard their feelings and always be considerate of their work life balance. Remember that you walked in their shoes once and you longed for a boss who was caring and understanding. Make that happen for them and you will soon have an office full of enthusiastic, hardworking and talented individuals.