How To Build Rapport With Those Working At Your Small Business

A small business might come in a number of different forms. The importance of building rapport with staff will be more important at a small business than at a large corporation. Each individual is going to have an impact on overall performance in a way that can be easily viewed. The rapport that an owner builds with their staff can drive productivity, morale, and employee retention. At the same time, a lack of rapport can lead to the opposite as employees might feel like nameless/faceless production numbers. The following are ideas to help build rapport with those working at your small business. 

Happy Hours Paid For By The Company

Heading to a required work happy hour where you have to pay for your own food and drinks won’t be appealing to staff. Happy hours paid by the company after work are an option but doing these at the end of working hours can encourage more participation. Take the time to talk to each member of the staff if possible about anything other than work. 

Work Events That Are Actually Fun 

Work events that are done during work hours will automatically be more fun to staff than those held on weekends. Renting an outdoor soccer field can be used for a number of activities that help encourage bonding. Treating the staff to some sort of trip is a great example as staff bonding can be written off. Other companies use credit cards to cover trips for the staff due to all that is spent during the year. This is not as uncommon as some might think as being able to rely on a particular employee for a certain amount of revenue makes life of a business owner far easier 

Flexibility In Times Of Need Is So Important 

There are so many positions that can be done in a remote fashion. There are going to be days where an employees might have a lot on their plate personally. Allowing for a remote workday per week or assigning the day can be so important. Requiring that employees are in the office on certain days can allow for meetings to be held that are easier to handle in the office. With this being said, there might be some employees that try to take advantage so a few flex days per month can be valuable. 

Incentivizing Staff Appropriately

Paying staff in a proper manner can help reduce quite a bit of resentment towards a company and its owner. You want to make sure you are not losing employees due to underpaying them. Losing employees means money has to be spent to train new employees that might not be the same quality. Bonuses for the staff that works extra or goes above and beyond expectations is important. Commission structures being unlimited for a top sales professional is a perfect example of this. 

Building rapport with employees is so important when it comes to growing a business. Management of employees is an art that changes over time even with the same exact staff. Continue to educate yourself on employee management as the worker-employer relationship has changed over the years.