How to Keep Up With Your Growing Workforce

When your business begins to grow, it’s a positive thing that should be celebrated – Great Job! But remember as your business grows, you must also work through the growing pains which may include additional employees. Below are some ways you can manage the growth of your workforce so you don’t get overwhelmed.

Balancing Size to Needs

First, consider your company’s true needs. How many employees do you really need to get the job done? If you have only experienced a short-term spike, you may want to first consider not hiring – but instead try re-alligning tasks through your staff to keep up with workflow.  This may give your existing employees an opportunity to make an impact on the business without the risk of over-hiring.  This will also help develop skills within your team for employee retention which is always better than trying to hire new employees.

If you take this route, keep a strong pulse on your employees due to the risk of burnout.  Either you or your human resources department should be speaking with the staff regularly to ensure your employees’ work satisfaction does not begin to drop. Be sure to help them understand they are essential to the success of the company.

Encouraging Collaboration

A great way to increase employee satisfaction is through team collaboration. Let them develop their own ideas and begin problem-solving as a team. Dealing with problems that the business is facing together as a team is a way to support your individual employees’ talents and strengths. It is a chance for them to showcase their own skills and reach a faster solution. There are many collaboration tools available online to help you get started; consider applying them as team-building exercises to tackle a current problem.

Build an Internal Community

Employee burnout can lead to much greater issues such as loneliness, disengagement, depression, anxiety, and even animosity. To avoid these pitfalls, find a way to foster a community among your employees. Give them the resources and encouragement to build and maintain a strong community with their co-workers.

Start by openly communicating with your team. Speak with them to understand their needs and what could help them feel more connected to their job, the company, and to one another. Simple events like a company breakfast, lunch or dinner that is held regularly can be extremely helpful. You can also boost engagement by giving recognition to employees who are consistently leading by example.

Grow While Maintaining Quality of Your Business

As your business grows, the quality of your service and product must remain consistent. Quality control should always play a role in your growth plans so you don’t lose sight of this core function of your business. As you are preparing for growth, consider potential setbacks so you can be prepared for them as well. Maintain open lines of communication with your team on how to handle setbacks without micromanaging their decisions.

Managing the growth of your business takes time, planning, and strategy. As long as you hire a great staff that you can trust and rely on, you can handle the responsibilities tied to expansion with ease. Remember to communicate openly and frequently with your team so you can prepare for the long-term vision for your business.