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Successful Self-Employment Takes a Team Effort

February 2009

Being self-employed can leave you feeling like you are wearing too many hats. There are days when you wish you could clone yourself. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a person to delegate tasks to?

In the business world, success is elusive unless we have the ability to take our vision and transfer the passion and enthusiasm to others. The key to creating a team that is aligned behind the company goals is bringing the right employees on board.

There are good employees to be found. Unfortunately they are seldom unemployed so they may not be searching for a career when you are trying to build your company. As an employer, you should constantly be on the lookout for additional employees. Don’t wait until you need someone…odds are it’s too late.

Take the following steps to build a strong team:

1. Create a clear vision of the direction of your business. Make sure to include specifically what will make your business unique. If you can’t articulate clearly the advantages you have over the competition, what are the odds that employees or customers will?

2. Design an employee handbook that clearly defines job responsibilities. If you have taken the time to decide exactly what each person will be responsible for, you are much more likely to have clear accountability as you
grow.

3. Hire someone with different strengths and weaknesses than your existing team. Adding staff should expand what your business has to offer.

4. Consider hiring an inexperience d person you can train. Personnel with experience often come with old habits and pre-conceived notions. Training someone from scratch means you can mold them.

5. Be willing to invest time in the interview process. Never hire on a gut reaction. Employers who are uncomfortable with the interview process tend to do a sloppy job. Educate yourself on how to conduct an ideal interview and practice if necessary.

Employee turnover can be extremely costly. Once you have the ideal employee in place, it is crucial you to retain them. Educate them and get out of their way. Micromanaging stifles creativity, creates second-guessing and leads to
stress for both the owner and the employee.

Employee retention can also be improved by having a structured training program. Do not haphazardly teach a new employee how to handle situations as they arise. Having processes defined and communicated from day one allows the employee to be autonomous and confident.

Invest in your employee’s education by paying for courses and offering time off to take classes. Rather than worry
your team member will get so smart they’ll leave or want a raise, worry that your business will remain stagnant if
you don’t invest in employees and they don’t grow their current level of expertise.

Employee retention can also be improved by allowing employees to put their families first. Allow time off for children and parents when it’s needed. Putting family first doesn’t detract from the job – it creates a well-balanced work environment for the boss and the employees.

Be loyal to your staff and they will be loyal to you. Spend time investing in the right person so they stay with you. A
resignation or firing is disruptive to the flow of business and bad for morale. Owning a small business can be less stressful and more successful with the right team members and clients.

Laura Harris is a nationally renowned speaker who has helped hundreds of small business owners improve their individual and business performance while inspiring them to simplify their lives and renew a passion for developing a business that outlives them. Harris has been in the insurance industry since 1979 and opened her own insurance agency in 1994.

http://www.lauraharris.com/

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