In business and office culture, there are many methods for success. It’s likely you have read many interpretations about how this success can be defined, and how to achieve it on all corners of the internet. It’s not difficult to assume you may have utilized this advice, with varying results. While business is a science, the solid managing of those you need to perform well for your firm or department to operate with any efficiency is more of an art.
For this reason, the standard methods of business advice might not work as well as intended. With the best will in the world, you might feel as though you struggle to keep on top of all the varying trials and tribulations than can affect your staff for both the better and the worse. Even fully competent HR departments have issues keeping on top of every small issue, and some issues, such as those found in an employee’s personal life, might be such that they can’t be solved without behaving intrusively as a firm – something to be avoided in all instances.
Luckily, as with most things, you can help your employees help you by utilizing the following tech tips.
Shift & Rota Planning
Crafting rota’s from pen and paper may have been the requirement in decades past, but there is simply no reason for that now. Automating your method of rota generation is useful if you look after large teams who must work staggered hours around the clock, such as those found in 24/7 hour establishments or the hospitality industry.
Having this consideration automated allows you to keep on top form regarding minute changes you need to make while also providing your staff with a regular, consistent schedule to plan around. Taking care of the basics and providing reliability will always help with staff happiness because they will trust you to take care of them as the golden resource of your firm.
HR
Your HR department needs to be stocked with thoughtful, conscientious people able to compromise and balance the needs of your firm with the needs of its employees. However, there’s no need to make it difficult for your team to take care of these issues, especially with larger firms. Using human resources management software will give you the tools necessary to manage them without pressing important issues to an intrusive degree. For example, tracking absences will allow you to automate private, professional letters to the employee if they have been gone for a worrying period, and this will politely dictate that they are breaching a contract and are requested for a private meeting. Duly automated, this will even stop your HR team from knowing the private lives of your employees, keeping your entire workforce in a position where they can mind their own business and stay focused on work.
Social Media
For small firms, encouraging a friendly workplace culture and even (with permission) having your employees as friends on social media might help you see any turbulent life issues they might be experiencing. It might also help you figure out issues or see through lies without having to be overly intrusive to detect them. This can help you prevent any blunt force infringement of their privacy because they will have shared the information with you by act of being your friend on social media. Of course, this will only work in intimate teams, and must only be used in events of dire consequence. You must also be accepting if the employee does not want you on their social media. It most likely will not be a personal affront – some people just prefer to separate work and personal life as much as possible.
These tips can help you stay on top of your employee’s happiness, keep observant about issues that might arise, and develop a stronger workforce in the process.
