What to Do if You Are Struggling to Connect With Your Employees

With so much on your mind as a company owner, you might often feel detached and distanced from the daily routine of your employees and your wider office. This is especially the case if you have your own separate office space or are often attending meetings further afield. However, a disconnect from your employees can mean that you have no idea of their satisfaction or productivity levels, and that they feel less than loyal to your business as a whole. Then, here are some of the steps that you should take if you are finding it difficult to form a relationship with your employees among everything else.

1.    Hire a HR Company

With so much going on in your business life, it is impossible to manage and keep an eye on every element of your company at once, and nor should this be expected of you. Even if you value and respect your employees, you might not be able to be there for them 24/7. If you cannot give them the support they require and you are desperate for support as their employer, you should consider hiring an HR company. An HR company will be able to help you to define their needs, will be able to form a channel between yourself and your employees, and will be able to give you guidance on creating a positive and employee-focused workplace that can benefit everyone. Not every HR company is built the same, though, and so you should consider looking at ones such as HR Dept, which have a good reputation and has a lot of experience in the world of business and employment law.

2.    Get Feedback From Them

However, no one knows what is going on in the heads of your employees more than the employees themselves. You should request feedback from them to find out whether they are happy and content in your workplace, and any changes they are desperate for. However, many team members might feel daunted by the idea of giving feedback and sharing their opinions with their employer and might worry that they will be penalised for it. In this case, you should consider sharing an anonymous survey that can prompt your employees to think deeply about their position and their perspective on their workplace and whose data you are able to collate. This will also encourage more employees to give you their thoughts, especially if you emphasize the fact that this survey will not take long to complete.

3.    Speak to Them

The simplest way that you can connect with your employees, though, is simply to have a chat with them. Having a chat will allow you to gain insight into their lives outside of work, especially if you keep the conversation light and non-work-related, and you will be able to see them as individuals. This will also allow you to show that you are a friendly face within the company and can lead to a more open relationship between you and your staff. You should also foster an open door policy where your team know that they are always able to come to you with any concerns that they have.

4.    Host Team Building Days

You may think of team-building days as a way for your staff to connect with one another and build positive relationships that can make your team thrive and work together in the future. However, they can also help you to become part of the team and can strip down the hierarchy between you for a few hours. Not only should you think about bonding activities, but you might also host seasonal parties and events where your team can mingle in a natural and exciting manner that can celebrate all the hard work they do. If you are going to set up a celebration, though, it is vital that you plan this far in advance so that as many people can make it as possible.

5.    Encourage Idea-Sharing

You might have a certain vision for your business. This does not mean that your team does not have other great ideas, though, many of which you might not have previously thought of. In regular meetings, you should encourage people to springboard ideas off each other, thinking outside the box to dream up the best solutions for your company. This will make your employees feel as if they are an irreplaceable and integral part of your business rather than simply administrative lackeys and can even nudge them to grow in knowledge, skill and expertise with your support.