Article Contributed by Charlotte Mark
Whether you work in inventory management or hardware sales, HRM is an integral part of every business model. In management positions, we spend the majority of time focusing on making quotas, hitting our goals, or making projections. However, if we forget to keep our team happy and motivated, goals, quotas, and projections can all come to a screeching halt. This is especially true in a small business, where every person has a critical role in making the business run. Here are the must-haves when it come to human resource management:
Efficient Delegation
Delegating is probably the trickiest part of management. Why is this so? Well, for one, the person delegating usually feels hesitant to delegate an important task to an employee. Our logic tells us that, “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Secondly, the person receiving the delegated task may either feel anxious with fear of failure or may feel slightly resistant to take orders. Understanding that this is a very complex, psychological exchange is the fist step in becoming a successful delegator. The second step is executing a delegation that is accurate and with concise, easy-to-follow directions. Make sure that the task is not at all associated with management (which is, clearly, your job).
Interaction and Communication
In many small businesses, numerous amounts of people are crammed into tiny spaces, which can make for a tense environment. Additionally, the startup environment can be fast-paced and stressful. To minimize these stressors, open communication is the best remedy. Open communication can be conducted through regular meetings (either weekly or bi-monthly). Often, managers tend to forget the importance of individual meetings to supplement regular group meetings. Meeting with your employees individually allows you to show your concern and listen to feedback.
Increasing Performance
If you are seeing low productivity, set goals in writing. Put an initiative up (either online or in the office) for everyone to see and follow. You should also check up on your goals and quotas frequently enough to understand productivity levels but not so frequent that you stifle productivity or make employees feel like they are being micromanaged.
All of these factors will result in a better retention rate, higher productivity, and happier employees.
About the Author
Charlotte Mark writes about small business, inventory management, and entrepreneurships for the Blog Content Guild.