Beyond benefits: how to manage a quality workforce

One of the greatest balancing acts any company faces is maintaining a quality workforce while controlling compensation and benefit costs. In our work helping clients improve both their financial and organizational performance, we've identified four staffing-related issues that are most neglected, yet offer the most opportunity for improvement:

1. Team building
   Employees, for the most part, really want to feel they belong and they are a valued member of your organization. Team building can be within departments, company-wide or even just on the executive level. People are better able to relate to each other and their work improves with their attitude and expanded communication skills.
   
   
2. Coach executives on the softer skills
   Most leaders in small and mid-sized businesses rise to their roles because of operational prowess. Yet leadership also requires managing people. How do you motive a lackluster employee? Or manage personality conflicts? Are you conducting regular and meaningful performance reviews? There are dozens of cookie-cutter leadership programs, but only a small percentage of a full-day seminar may be relevant to you. Instead, we suggest hiring a coach who will come in and assess your situation, then develop the specific training or programs that will be most effective for your leaders.
   
   
3. Recognize and address conflict early
   Unresolved conflict costs your company in increased absenteeism and health claims, loss of productivity and turnover. The most common causes of conflict include: an unclear definition of responsibility, which leads to differing expectations; competition for limited resources and conflict of interest between personal and organizational goals.
   
   
4. Create a solid succession plan
   A succession plan ensures you have adequate staff to lead the company. The first step is to identify potential candidates and assess their strengths and weaknesses. Then, develop a training program to ensure they'll have the needed leadership skills (see number two). We can help with all steps surrounding succession. 

Contact one of our privately held business experts for more information.