Steps to Becoming a Responsible Employer

As an ambitious young person starting up their first business, there are lots of things that you need to think about in order to become successful. You need to be offering something that fulfills a need of the consumer and plugs a gap in the market. You need to sell your idea to investors, shops, and to the general public. You need to keep motivated and pushing for your next goal.

However, one of the most important things you need to do is take care of your employees. The people you hire are crucial for the success of your company as these individuals will be doing the groundwork to make your dream business a reality.

To help you out and start to learn how you can better look after those who work under you, this handy guide has been put together. By taking on board and employing the advice below to your own business, you will be able to see a positive change in the productivity and happiness of your staff, which will translate to a successful business over time.

Put a focus on employee benefits

To be a good employer and hang on to those members of staff that are exceptional, you need to investigate the different types of employee benefits that you should be offering. Benefits are a great way to attract the kind of people you want for your business when in the hiring process and a fantastic way of keeping people on board in the long run.

Some benefit ideas include:

Medical coverage

By offering staff medical insurance through their work, what you are doing is making sure that they are always able to provide for their families and letting them know that you care about their wellbeing. On a practical note, this also means that the people you hire will be able to do their jobs with minimal time off due to illness.

Overtime pay

Overtime pay means that you are encouraging and rewarding the hard work of your team and gives them the chance to advance their financial situation with ease. Many people will have to get a second job to make ends meet, but if you ensure you pay a living wage and offer overtime, your employees’ attention is entirely focused on making your business work.

Give some thought to making the workplace accessible

When you are looking to buy a new office space or perhaps renovate the one you already have, finding ways to make the workplace more accessible for those with disabilities is an essential way of improving the lives of those you employ.

People with disabilities can be immensely valuable members of your team, and you don’t want to be missing out on the expertise of a highly qualified candidate just because there is no wheelchair access.

Having a no-clutter policy to keep the walkways clear in the office will make sure those who have difficulty walking or problems with their eyesight are able to move around the office with minimal risk. Additionally, investing in tablets for your workforce and going paperless is a fantastic way to become a more inclusive employer. Reading documents off a device can give employees the chance to zoom in, change the contrast and color of their documents to be able to participate more fully in the workforce.

Let your staff have a space of their own

When you think about how to improve the productivity of your business, one thing that might not come to mind is letting your staff have more breaks. While this is a little bit counter-intuitive, the importance of taking breaks at work is huge for those you employ. Taking short, regular breaks can give your staff the time they need to de-stress and process all the information in front of them, allowing them to be more productive when they get back to their desk. This helps to promote a higher standard of work throughout the day and creates a better output from everyone.

To help with this, learning how to create the ultimate break room for your employees will be a massive benefit for both you and them. Make sure the break room is filled with natural light and have plenty of amenities, such as a coffee machine, fridge, and microwave, so they are able to have a snack and drink when they take five. Invest in some comfy furniture to sit on so that they can have a break from their office chairs and feel able to relax. Ideally, you want the break room to feel like a living room at home as this will help reduce stress levels and create a happier workforce.

Always consult a legal team for advice

Every now and again, you will find you have a dispute with an employee that needs to be resolved in the appropriate way. This can be over things such as pay or harassment and discrimination. In these situations, you should always seek out legal advice from reputable lawyers, such as those from Gignilliat, Savitz & Bettis, LLP, to make sure both you and your employees are aware of their rights.

As a general rule, the best way to avoid disputes is to take preventative measures to make sure employees are being looked after. This can include things such as:

• Making sure that the wages of your employees are rising in line with inflation and are able to always adequately cover their living costs
• Put in place clear guidelines with respect to a code of conduct. It should include things like mandatory sensitivity training for everyone, a zero-tolerance policy on bullying in the workplace, and training in equality issues (which should all include you in them)
• Encourage your workforce to join a union so that they are aware of their rights and are able to offer meaningful insight into how the business could be improved regarding their wellbeing

With all the above advice, you will be able to become an exceptional employer whose staff will love working for.