When business owners motivate their employees and increase engagement, businesses succeed. In the age of technology, businesses need their employees to produce more efficient work to increase revenue. It is human nature to have an increase in energy, be less stressed, have more creativity, and help others when when we are happy. According to a study conducted by economists at the University of Warwick, happy employees resulted in a 12 percent increase in productivity, and unsatisfied employees were 10 percent less productive.

Although some may believe that salary is why the majority of people leave jobs, pay isn’t usually the case. Research has shown that salary isn’t typically the primary cause of people leaving their jobs. The main reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated and valued. Here are some ways that business owners and managers can improve revenue through happy employees.

 

Build a Solid Foundation of Trust

When employees don’t feel trusted to complete the duties of their jobs, it can hinder their ability to solve problems and cause a lack in confidence. By letting your employees know that you trust in their abilities, it will give them a sense of value and optimize their contribution to the success of the business.

 

Provide Employees with a Positive Workplace

When business owners encourage their employees to be themselves, it creates a seamless transition between work/home life. When employees can be themselves at work, they can relax and produce better work. Games, fun activities, and laughter can be excellent ways to relieve tension and create a bond among employees.

Be sure to acknowledge skills and qualities that are seen in employees because it is a vital factor when it comes to employee engagement. Thomas Britt is psychologist at Clemson University and stated if individuals are not provided with the opportunity to showcase their skills and talents, their level of engagement and commitment will significantly diminish.

 

Give Employees Perks

When employees are given perks, such as good insurance, free lunch one day per week, or casual Fridays, they feel valued and appreciated. There are many companies that use benefits to increase employee productivity, which may include free memberships to fitness centers, childcare, or the choice to work remotely once per week.

 

Use a Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

What is HRIS? It’s a software program that can be used to help those in the human resources department increase productivity. Although employees in the human resources department primarily use this type of software, it benefits employees in every department. With the use of HRIS, there will be less issues with payroll and benefits. There are also HRIS programs that have self-service features that provides employees with increased engagement.

 

Give Employees Opportunities for Growth

If business owners provide their employees with opportunities for career growth, it will enhance the skill sets of employees, which will boost productivity and revenue. In addition, by giving employees the chance to grow, it lets them know that you believe in their potential and are worth the investment. There are many companies that offer compensation for attending conferences and workshops, education, and mentor programs.

 

Establish Goals

When your employees are provided with specific, challenging goals, it will help them work to their fullest potential. Even if an employee is tasked with assembling a small product, he or she should understand every step of the procedure with a clear goal of how many he or she will assemble during their shift. Goals that are clearly stated and defined provide employees with a guide that helps them accomplish their goals and recognize their progress. According to a study conducted at the University of Alberta, employees who are focused on their goals show a 60 percent decline in absenteeism.

A business is only as successful as those who help it function, and when a business owner keeps his or her employees happy, it helps the whole business thrive.

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Finding a way to advertise and improve a brand is very important. When you are looking to boost the brand of your company, one great resource can be your staff of employees. Good employees can do a great job of promoting your organization and corporate brand. It shouldn’t be a question if you are going to use employees as ambassadors – it should be one of your goals. There are a variety of tips that should be followed to make this strategy more effective.

 

Discuss Strategy

You should first discuss a marketing strategy with them. This process should include discussing what the goals of the organization are and what key talking points could be when trying to promote the business. This will help to keep people on the same page and delivering a consistent message.

 

Encourage Social Media Sharing

Most companies today have company account pages on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites. This can provide a company with the means to reach thousands of people immediately. However, the amount of people that can be reached can grow exponentially if your staff follows the company online and shares positive news. ThriveHive lists social media sharing as their number one suggestion. Encouraging your team to share information will allow a company to leverage the outside relationships that each of your employees already has.

 

Provide Guidelines

While you will want your staff to feel comfortable speaking well about your company, you still want to make sure that you have well-established guidelines for them to follow. You will need to have a very clear policy that will dictate what an employee can say and where. You should also make sure that all staff knows the difference between private and public information. This will also help to prevent an employee from accidentally giving away sensitive information that should have been kept a secret from everyone outside the company.

 

Get Involved In The Industry

For your employees to do a better job of advertising your company, you will need to allow them to get involved in the industry. You should encourage employees to get involved in professional associations and other groups that could allow them to meet new people and build a positive reputation with others in the industry. When you have employees that are involved in the industry, you can be assured that they will be able to help you reach a larger group of the right people.

 

Community Involvement

While getting involved in the industry is important, you should also encourage people to be more involved in the community. It is very important that your industry peers and competitors are aware of your company, you should also focus on building a positive reputation in the community. Ultimately, all people in the community that you and your team are able to reach could turn into customers down the road. You can do this by setting aside one day every quarter to take the whole team out to do community service. Wear company t-shirts and post photos to social media sharing the good that is happening within your company and community.

 

Focus On Employee Happiness And Satisfaction

While you can have a lot of different options for employees to get involved, you will ultimately want to make sure that they are happy working for your organization and satisfied. When an employee is trying to advertise your business, they will do a much better job if they are excited about coming into work each day. Because of this, you should make it a goal to make sure that your staff is happy to work for your company and believes in the mission. Some of the best ways to do this is by providing convenient work schedules and try to give the best employee benefits that you can.

Ultimately, when you are looking to utilize your staff as brand ambassadors and advertisers, you also need to make sure that everyone knows what the message is. The worst thing that could be done would be if employees are not clear on the statement or mission and start to provide the public with incorrect data.

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If you want to move forward with career plans, there are few things as important as having the nerve to ask for a promotion. How you decide to take this important step is critical. Whether you hire an executive business coach to help you move ahead in your career or you do your own research, taking control of your life and career takes courage.

 

Do Your Research and Get Prepared

Being prepared for an important conversation is always recommended. The information you need is already available. Most professionals recommend asking some specific questions about how other people got ahead. This is a smart way to get ready to ask for a promotion.

Once you have completed your research, it is time to put a plan of action together. Writing down your accomplishments and the reasons why you deserve a promotion into management represents a smart way to approach this task. Be sure to use quantifiable metrics to support your claims whenever you can. Stay away from vague and subjective language since that can weaken your case.

Since management is about problem solving, coming up with a list of problems you have solved is a logical way to remind yourself of past achievements. Compiling a one to two page fact sheet is recommended.

Get some feedback from trusted colleagues about whether they think you are ready for the position. Finding coworkers you trust to discuss this with will help you get prepared for this “all important” conversation.

Forbes suggests taking on added responsibilities to pave the way for asking for a promotion. That will help your case.

 

Carefully Decide on the Timing of Your Promotion Request

The adage that “timing is everything” are words that certainly apply to any discussion where one party is trying to win over the other party. Inc. recommends not jumping the gun when you ask for a promotion. It is important that you have had time to prove yourself in the position you’re in before asking for a promotion.

The worst case scenario would be to seek a promotion before you could boast about achievements in your current position. Not only would you lose credibility, you might harm your chances for future opportunities. Proceed with caution and be sure you can explain why you are worthy of a promotion.

There are some obvious times when it is ill advised to approach the subject of a promotion. For example, if the company is laying off people due to economic hardships, that would indicate that asking for a promotion and a raise would not make sense.

With that said, when a job becomes available due to a resignation or promotion, you should take it. You never know when another opening will come open.

 

Make Your Case

When you’re ready, approach your superior and ask them for a meeting. Discuss your career goals and make sure they understand why you are ready to move into another role. Explain the extra duties that you have taken on and talk about your achievements. Any time you can talk about the duties you are performing that are already above your pay grade, you are proving that you are worthy and ready for the next step.

Be sure to discuss all of your “wins” using numbers when you can. By reviewing this information right before the meeting, the facts will be on the tip of your tongue, ready to be retrieved. Focus some of your conversation on how you have handled personnel challenges since management routinely deals with delicate human resource issues.

 

Conclusion

Moving up the corporate ladder is about more than your technical skills. It is your communication skills that will pave the way into management. By preparing for the meeting and practicing the key points you want to make, you plan for success.

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