Employee Check Up
This month we have been focused on conducting a business checkup so that you and your team are clear on what your business needs in the 4th quarter to finish this year strong and build momentum for 2016. We have discussed analyzing goals, developing next actions, meeting with your Accountant, and taking a critical look at your Marketing Plan and Sales Process. This week we turn the focus to the people that run the systems: Your team. They are active and vital players in your business. This week we will look at three areas to investigate when doing a staff check-up; Tools, Trainings and Measuring Results.
Tools - Whether you are building a widget, fixing a broken pipe, or calling a prospect, it is necessary to have the proper tools in place for your team in order to achieve expected results. Each business is different and what the business calls a tool will be different, but it doesn't change the fact that they are necessary. If your tools are faulty, how do you expect others in the business to achieve success? Examples of tools could include: sales agendas, CRM software, Microsoft Office Suite, sales and marketing collateral, scripts, product reference sheets, written systems and corresponding checklists. Now is a good time to engage your team to make sure the tools you've invested in creating are being used and giving you the results your business the results it needs. Questions to consider when reviewing the tools in your business include:
- What tools do we have in place now?
- Are the tools we have in place being used?
- How effective are those tools?
- When was the last time the tools were evaluated or innovated?
- Has the staff been fully trained with all available tools?
Training -Training and cross training are the foundation of employee success and satisfaction. Employees with little or poor training experience frustration, are overwhelmed, have poor job performance, and diminished job satisfaction. To complete a checkup on what training might be needed for your team, engage your employees in a discussion on what they would like to know more about, or become more proficient in. Identify which employees have the expertise, knowledge and skills to provide training to others. Go through your business and identify the trainings that will have immediate impact on your staff's performance and help you achieve your annual goals. Cross training is a productive way for employees to build good relationships, provides you with a more flexible and sustainable business, and fosters continuous improvement. If you have the employees being cross trained, document what they are being trained on and you will also create new, or improve your existing business systems . Training gives your team the confidence and means they need to succeed.
Measuring Results - Your business needs to ensure employees are working towards stated results and are held accountable to achieving those results. Without something to shoot for, there is no motivation for an employee to give more effort than they deem necessary. By setting the bar, expecting excellence, and measuring results, you challenge your employees to be an active part of your businesses success. . To check up on how your employees are measuring up to their goals ask these questions:
- How often do employees report on progress to goals?
- Are employee goals in writing, clarified and understood?
- How does the business hold employees accountable to achieving results?
- How do you know if employees are, or are not getting the results needed by the business?
Your team is vital to your business. They need tools, training, and accountability to measurable results to set them up for success. Collaborate with your team to conduct a business checkup so you can meet your goals for this year and continue to build a business of value.
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