Striving to have the best staff is a goal we all aim for. To achieve this there are many hurdles to overcome. 

Finding the right person to fill the role is the first obstacle. Holding on to them can be another battle.

Creating a pleasant work atmosphere will go a long way in retaining staff. When you hear staff saying that they look forward to going to work each day you know you are on the right road.

I have had many bosses during my working life, some good and some not so good. I remember one particular supervisor who stood out from the rest. He never told me how to do my job. As long as the end result was achieved he didn’t care how it was done. He was a very outgoing person, easy to get on with and always had a smile on his face. He rarely had a bad word to say about anyone but he could read people and situations very well. He was able to sense when someone was not happy or when some staff were not getting on with each other. In these situations he would patiently wait for the right opportunity and approach the person to have an ‘informal’ chat, cleverly steering the conversation to what was niggling that person, often without them realising it. By the time the conversation finished the staff member would feel a lot better and the situation would often be resolved. He never called anyone into the office to have a stern word with them. This led to a very relaxed work atmosphere and the supervisor earned the respect of his staff.

There is nothing worse than having managers watching over employees, making sure that the jobs are getting done. This only leads to tension within the workforce, which ultimately reduces productivity.

It is nice to see staff help each other out. If someone needs to take time off work, having staff around that will share the workload is a great bonus. This can even go to the top where staff rally around to help their employer. I know of a business where the owner is not always around to run his business. The reason being is that he is often at home helping with looking after one of his children who needs 24 hour care. His staff are very understanding and help with the smooth running of the business.

A happy work environment will be noticed by your customers. It leads to staff being kind to customers and this will have a positive effect on your business. The saying ‘First Impressions Last’ is very true. When a new customer enters your premises and gets a friendly welcome from a member of staff, they will remember that experience and are likely to return.

It’s not easy managing people. If you haven’t already done so I would recommend that you read Dale Carnegie’s book, How to Win Friends and Influence People. It is well worth reading as it gives wonderful insights and examples of how business managers handled difficult situations without causing confrontation. Even though it was first published in 1936, it is still relevant in today’s working environment as it was back then.