How to ensure your employees feel valued

If you’re running a local business, your employees are some of the most important people you know. They’re the face of your business, the cogs that keep the whole machine going.

Good employees are hard to find, and they can be even harder to keep. If your employees don’t feel valued (even if they are), they’re more likely to look elsewhere. So here are a few ideas to ensure you can make your employees feel that they are the valuable assets to your business that they are.

1. Ask for Their Input – and Listen to It

One of the most important things you can do to make your employees feel valued is to ask for their input and feedback. Listen to their ideas, and where it makes sense to, incorporate them into your business. When people feel like they are making a genuine difference, they are more likely to feel like their jobs matter.

2. Respect Work Life Balance

When you’re running a business, it’s easy to let it take over more and more of your life. However, you should not be spending every waking moment in the office, and you definitely should not expect your employees to do the same.

Part of making your employees feel valued is respecting their lives outside of the office. So, if they need to leave early for a school concert or want to take a personal day occasionally, let them.

3. Reward Great Work

If you want people to know that you recognise and appreciate great work, the best way to do that is to reward it. While it’s okay to give them company swag when you have it, you should also plan for real rewards that actually matter.

Cash bonuses are always appreciated, but you could also give them tools or equipment that is useful for their job, or, if they excel in something, offer to pay for additional training. Meaningful rewards that make your employees lives easier will go a long way!

4. Prioritise Diversity

Diversity is a buzzword these days, but businesses that attract and retain the best people do more than just talk about it. Make sure that your workplace is inclusive, and that everyone has access to the same opportunities. Create a merit-based environment where people feel that they can get ahead, no matter who they are and what they look like.

5. Be a Good Example

If you want people to be honest and ethical, you need to be honest and ethical. If you want them to be kind and generous, you need to do the same. Be the kind of person you want your employees to be, and you will find that they are more engaged and invested in your business – and their jobs.

If you're keen to learn more about Fuzey, visit our website or get in touch with us at hello@getfuzey.com.

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