It isn’t every day that you find employees who are ready and willing to do more for their workplace without getting something in return, even family members who are employees. That being said, there are plenty of ways that you can inspire confidence in your employees, encourage them to move forward, take part in the company, and really lead and engage everyone in their workspace. There are plenty of ways to get your employees to truly feel like they are a part of the workplace and like they can make a difference.
Passion in the Workplace
The first way you can inspire employees to take part is to help inspire their passion. If they have an idea, have something they love, has a passion that they can apply to their job, let them do it. Passion is often the driving force that makes people set out to do something completely different. It is always best to allow all members of the company to share their ideas and to communicate them. Who knows, an employee may have an idea that helps to improve the workplace for everyone, not only for those that are suggesting ideas.
Communication is Key
Another great way to inspire engagement is to help all employees communicate efficiently. Those employees, family leaders included, that have been placed in positions of power and leadership need to be taught how to tell the people they are leading what they want and need. Good communication can mean the difference between those that know what they want and get it, and those that have no idea what they are doing and therefore flounder when the time to act comes. Good communication is the first step to avoiding family business conflict, but it’s also an essential part of dealing with it. It is always best to make sure that you communicate clearly and allow everyone to voice any concerns they have early on so that avenues of communication can be opened properly.
Sell Your Ideas
Another way to get your employees involved is to sell the ideas that you are presenting. This means letting them know how each idea is going to benefit them, how is this going to change the workplace, how is this going to affect the day-to-day, and what benefits are being presented along with the ideas and changes. In the family business, this may mean communicating with those who are going to be in succession, and so honesty is important. This will give the employees a stake in the whole process and will make them feel like they are part of the whole process. Not feeling included is one of the biggest issues that people have in their workplace. They may feel like they are being pushed to do this or that without having any real say in the matter. Giving people information is one way to make them feel confident and included. Sometimes selling ideas to family business employees can be especially difficult, but it’s part of managing a family business, and it pays to be open and direct.
Feedback Is Welcome
Feedback can be a two way street for leaders and employees. First off, it can really make employees feel like they have a say in the things that are going on every day. Second, this also gives leaders a look at what is going on and how the other employees feel. This makes it possible for employees and leaders alike to come back and change what is not working and see how they work with one another. With the two way street of feedback in both directions the workplace can be altered to make sure that working conditions are ideal for everyone.
Praise and Encouragement
It is essential that those in leadership positions help to praise and encourage their employees so that they know when they are doing well – and they know what can be improved. It is also critical that employees be encouraged as it is easy for people to become demoralized and run down quickly. This does not mean that leaders have to compliment employees every single time they do something right, but a “great job” here and there can go a long way. It is helpful to make employees – family or not – feel valued and appreciated, especially as it applies to the longevity of the company. Encouragement is especially important in a family business where people can be easily taken for granted.
Any of the tips mentioned here can help your employees to take a bigger part in the workplace. It is always best to think of ways to help your employees to really feel like they are needed and appreciated to help create a great workplace.
