Managing a Successful Workforce

The marker of a successful business is rarely down to the work of one individual; triumph in the workplace comes off the back of a strong and cohesive team. Positive relationships are essential to achieving outstanding organisational performance, particularly during times of change.

Following the Brexit vote, change has become something of a hot topic, leaving many employees concerned about job security, presenting a need to keep engagement and productivity levels high.

Employment lawyers at Shulmans LLP, led by partners Ian Dawson and Jim Wright and Nathan McNee from Dale Carnegie Training are experts in employment law and employee engagement. Following their recent delivery of a successful joint seminar, ‘Engaging People Through Disruptive Times’, they have continued to combine their expertise to offer some practical solutions on maximising employees’ potential.

Speaking of the challenges ahead, Ian Dawson said: “As we enter into a post-Brexit Britain, there are likely to be many potential changes to EU employment law. Whilst the changes may not be introduced immediately, this will allow forward thinking employers to start planning now to have strategic arrangements in place to help allay employee fears and to incentivise them so that the company is equipped to deal with any challenging times ahead.

“Strategies to incentivise staff, such as offering employee benefits and reward schemes, can be really effective in minimising any negative effects on morale and productivity.”

Nathan McNee, Business Development Manager at Dale Carnegie, added: “In what can be fraught and uncertain times, employee engagement is more important than ever to ensure the lines of communication between management and employees remain open and transparent to continue the smooth running of their business, now and in the future.”

Follow their top tips for boosting employee engagement:

1. Invest in staff

To ensure high performance and a commitment to delivering consistent results, employers need to invest the time, effort and money into improving the engagement levels within their workforce. Regular training should be implemented to support the development of both new and long-serving employees, helping staff to feel both motivated and valued as team members. Ensuring consistent development individually and in a team environment will lead to a more committed and high performing workforce.

2. Be creative

Take a creative approach to incentivising your staff by implementing reward schemes and bonus payments which benefit employees at all levels. Offering staff benefits and rewards can help to boost productivity and team morale, plus it’s a great way for employers to show they care about their employees. Flexible remuneration, benefits and bonus payments can help boost engagement, while different types of employment contracts, such as zero-hours contracts, can be introduced to offer employees the flexibility they may require. The benefits do not always need to be financially driven; additional holidays and investment in training go a long way towards showing that employers care.

3. Seek professional advice

Employers shouldn’t be afraid of tackling difficult individuals; make sure any issues are addressed immediately to avoid situations escalating, rather than leaving them unchecked. Consult professional legal advisers to help guide you through any complex issues. This will help to resolve problems much easier and minimise disruption to the rest of the team. Your advisers should take the time to understand your business and what you are looking to achieve in any given situation.

4. Plan ahead

With the UK preparing for change, including the likely amendments to EU employment law, it’s important to be actively planning ahead. Employers should be setting goals and objectives for the future to help maintain engagement through what could potentially be an uncertain period. Keeping staff well-informed of any plans is key, as poor communication can lead to a disengaged workforce. Encourage employees to be involved in the business and to engage with it by taking a positive approach to any challenges which arise.