Employers and employees always have a complex relationship. Most workers just want a paycheck, while most employers just want quality work. However, in the process, many people fail to realize that their employees or employers are actual human beings. For this reason, it is important to practice compassion, particularly as a business owner. In today’s guide, we will look at 5 ways to practice compassion with your employees and build a positive, productive work environment!
Learn Who They Are at the Start
When you first interview prospective employees, it’s important to take the time to learn who they are. This doesn’t mean that you need to ask overly personal or unprofessional questions, but it does mean that you should ask them about their aspirations, interests, as well as their likes and dislikes. This will help foster a more cohesive relationship for the future, particularly if and when you hire them and begin the employee training process.
Listen to Their Concerns
You can never truly practice compassion with anyone if you fail to listen. Listening is actually one of an employer’s most important duties. Not only does this show your staff that you care, but it also provides you with useful insights concerning the daily operations of your business. More often than not, your workers have perspectives that can prove invaluable for improving a wide variety of processes within your company.
Schedule Regular Check-Ins
When you get caught up in both the daily and long-term goals of your business, it’s easy to let informal chats slip through the cracks. As a result, you could go months without speaking to some of your employees. This is why it is so important to schedule regular check-ins, particularly with your core team. In doing so, you ensure that each employee gets the attention that he or she deserves.
Make Mental Health a Priority
By nature, work can be very stressful. This is true for you, as a business owner, as well as your employees. So, make mental health a priority for your entire organization. You may reach a point where you need to take a break from the office, and you need to extend the same privilege to your employees. After all, if your employees start experiencing burnout, their job performance and mental health will suffer. In the end, it’s better to make sure that everyone has the time and resources to destress and practice self-care.
Evaluate Your Benefits Offerings
As previously mentioned, many workers simply show up to work for the paycheck. They may not feel particularly passionate about their responsibilities or the organization as a whole. While there are certain actions you can take to make employees feel more fulfilled, one of the best things you can do is ensure that you are offering fair compensation. This means that you will need to evaluate your salary and benefits offerings on a regular basis to ensure that what you’re giving your employees matches their responsibilities and output.
Want even more advice to help grow and improve your business? If so, be sure to check out some of our other business posts on Business 401k today!
