6 Staff Management Tips for Small Business

Effectively managing employees is not easy. And these days, it’s already difficult for most small businesses to find employees at all. Keeping them happy and useful for your business needs is a skill to develop. Even our smallest clients could benefit from these six tips for managing their staff.

1. Be consistent. As you would expect, if you treat one employee differently than another, your staff will be disgruntled. If you are lucky, they will tell you. If you are unlucky, they will find ways to satisfy themselves at your expense. Avoid this with solid company policies. New employees will understand the rules of the game from the get-go, and everyone will understand your consistent expectations for behavior.
2. Know your wage and labor laws. Legal boundaries for employers are complicated—that’s why there are PEOs and specialized attorneys. Devote your time to improving your small business, and let a legal professional guide you through workforce laws so you can make executive decisions (instead of costly mistakes).
3. Package up benefit incentives. Lifestyle choices and competitive offerings are paramount to hire the best employee. You might not afford a lot in a small business, but you can attract and retain talent with creative benefit options. Think outside the box and ask applicants what they want most.
4. Flex with the rest. A small business may not have work-from-home options for employees, but there are many ways to provide flexibility that improves your workforce. From split shifts to compressed workweeks, you might find good options that suit your business needs.
5. Simplify your scheduling tasks. Even a small business—nay, especially a small business—will appreciate the simplicity of employee scheduling software. It helps prevent errors and communicates effectively to eliminate communications hiccups between management and employees. You have a dozen other things to do besides spending hours on employee schedules.
6. Look at the human side. Employees are people with distinct preferences, personality fits, and skillsets. Based upon your needs and experience, focus on what is hardest to find. A rare skill set might be your priority even if the personal style is not ideal. On the other hand, you might find the right person to train. By respecting individuality, you will benefit from good matches and a better team. Then, when ready, trust each one to do their jobs. Support as needed, but let them shine.

People management is challenging, but it is an integral part of growing your small business. By recognizing talent and offering the right combination for employees, you will create a more easily managed staff while improving your employee relationships.

Author Profile Jon Forknell is the Vice President and General Manager of Atlas Business Solutions, Inc., a software marketing company specializing in employee scheduling software, including ScheduleBase employee scheduling software, and other business software solutions. In the past, Jon has been recognized by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year. For many years, Atlas Business Solutions has been named one of Software Magazine’s Top 500 Software Companies.