The one thing that will make your company more successful

Employees are the ones who largely make up most businesses, so what is the key to leading them? How do you successfully bring out the best work from each one?

Somebody once stood in front of a room filled with 100 CEOs, executives, medium to large business owners, and asked “What is the key to leading people?” The room was silent until one man stood up.

The answer is more obvious than you would think.

“No one cares how much you know until they first know how much you care about them. Yeah, we’re in charge, and, yeah, we talk about targets and goals and visions, but our employees don’t care about any of that stuff for very long. We can communicate and engage and connect all we want, but no one really listens to us. They just smile and nod and go back to doing their jobs the way they always do.”

Caring for your employees, truly caring and making sure they know you care and value them is the one thing that will make a difference.

The reason?

Simply put, employees are people, with emotions that guide their decisions and actions.

When people feel cared for they are more likely to invest more of their own time and energy towards helping you achieve your goals. An increase in productivity and innovation aren’t the only benefits. In fact, by caring for your employees you are less likely to lose talented employees and more likely to improve performance over all.

So how do you show your employees that you truly care and value them?

1. Ensure the office stays clean and is regularly cleaned

A clean and tidy office helps keep employees focused and comfortable. A messy office won’t aid productivity.

2. Provide safe and secure parking for employees

Actions as simple as working to provide a safe area for parking goes a long way in showing employees that you care for them.

3. Encourage open communication

Employees should feel comfortable talking to supervisors, sharing ideas and talking about any challenges they may currently be facing.

4. Uplift your employees

Give employees the opportunity to learn new skills and promote employees when positions become available. In-house promoting helps show employees that you are loyal to them and furthering their career. Helping employees further their skills not only benefits employees but the company too.

Acknowledge hard work

Make your employees feel valued and seen by recognising when they have gone above and beyond, or have completed a difficult assignment. Praise should be given when deserved.

5. Get to know more about your employees

Take time to get to know your employees better by scheduling in some free office time together. From a company lunch once a month to enjoying a beer together Friday afternoons. Find a way you feel fit to show employees that you don’t only value them as an employee but as a person too.

6. Lend a helping hand

When you see one of your employees struggling, try to find out what you or the company can do to help them rise above their current situation.

7. Stand by your employees

When your employees ask for feedback, be honest and offer proactive solutions to help them grow and better themselves. Standing by your employees also means being empathetic. When employees face hardships it’s important to provide them with support.

Creating a relationship with your employees is an on-going commitment, consistency is important in showing that you truly care about more than just the company’s success.

“Our employees don’t really care about what we want them to do until they know how much we care about them. When an employee knows - truly knows - that you care about them, then they care about you. And when they know you care, they will listen to you and they will do anything for you.”

Show your employees that you truly care and your company will not only be more successful but you’ll have employees that are excited to come to work everyday.