2 min read
People are the most important part of any business. That’s why, as a manager, I’m looking for people who want to do more, be more, and have an impact. To me, a great employee has an insatiable need to be part of a team that tackles community needs beyond a company’s products and services. We need people that are driven to improve and learn.
Figuring out how to attract these employees is a formula that took me a while to figure out and it boils down to this: attracting great employees starts with becoming a place that great employees want to work. Here are five ways that I have used to capture and keep the amazing team I have today:
Get Involved in Your Community
The best workers are driven to be part of an organization that is changing a norm, or a cause. They want to feel like they are having an impact on something important. Our best people see themselves as providing a great service so that we can invest deeper in our community.
Involve Your Employees in Your Community Endeavors
Engage deeply in team building activities that transcend normal company happy hours and bar outings. Go clean riverbanks, or host blood drives. Go visit nursing homes as a team. Serve people together and feel the camaraderie of doing good. You’re looking to build a culture that attracts people who want to do this.
Burn The Cubicles
Encourage collaborative management styles and make physical changes in your office to do so. Get rid of the cubes, all of them. Heck, have a cube burning party and ceremoniously agree to break down communication barriers, both physical and psychological. Build open spaces with collaborative areas for group meetings.
Practice Giving Regular Feedback
Demand excellence and provide quick and fair feedback. The best workers aren’t insulted by constructive feedback. If it’s quick and correct, they’ll associate feedback with growth. If you wait too long, it’s not relevant. And, even worse, if you talk about it behind their back, you’re toast.
Raise’ em Right
Whether we like it or not, our best workers see us as a stop along a very successful career. One of the smartest things you can do as a business owner is to invest in the development of your employees. Offer training on management and leadership, but also on socioeconomic issues and mindfulness. Help your employees become better humans and more empathetic professionals.
David Gallagher is a father, public speaker, and entrepreneur. He is CEO of Dominion Payroll which he co-founded with David Fratkin in 2002. With his wife Grace, he co-founded the Cameron K. Gallagher Foundation, whose mission is to end the stigma of teen depression and anxiety. He has also co-founded Tang & Biscuit and is an advisor to Tablee.