5 Tips For Creating an Efficient Workforce

A company can only grow as fast as their workforce moves, and they can only survive long-term if they have the right group of people working towards a collective goal. As a business owner or startup founder, it falls on your lap to assemble and create a workforce that can work with each other and has the individual skill set to contribute and grow your brand. But if creating an efficient workforce was a cakewalk, then every company out there would have the best teams and departments working for them. Sadly, this isn’t the case. Every year, large corporations spend millions of dollars headhunting, interviewing, training, and retraining employees. Here’s how to do it without having to spend that kind of cash:

Focus On Your Hiring Process

A hasty and careless hiring process is similar to leaving a cat to guard the bank. A meticulous hiring process, on the other hand, stands as a trustworthy guardian of your company’s front gates. They can weed out liabilities from assets, and make sure that only motivated and driven candidates get a desk at your company. When hiring, go beyond the technical information on their resume and dig deep into their real passions and ambitions. Anyone can say that they are “perfect for the job” or that they’re the most driven, but can they genuinely go through the whole transition, which could last up to six months, without quitting?

Offer Conflict Resolution

The high stress environment of the workplace is bound to create tension and conflict between employees. As deadlines start to creep in and workloads pile up, patience for bad judgment calls and unclear instructions or messages can lead to bad blood in the office. If you don’t have the professional experience to handle these internal conflicts, hire a professional. This area should supposedly be covered by an HR expert, but an educator or psychologist could also fill in this role. Conflict resolution fosters a safe space for open communications whereby employees involved can freely say what they want to say.

Offer Incentives

An employee incentive program sounds expensive, but the initial costs are actually dwarfed by its potential gains. Offer incentives that align with your employees’ values and what’s important to them. For instance, if working mothers comprise a large portion of your workforce, consider offering the option to work remotely or telecommute. Flexible work schedules can also help retain your employees and lower the attrition rate of your company. Other incentives you can offer to your workforce includes a robust health and wellness program, a fun and competitive points system, and output-based bonuses.

Foster a Productive Environment

A work environment surrounded by the scandalous sounds of incoming trains or car horns or one that always smells like gasoline or garbage can prevent your workforce from concentrating and getting into that productive mindset. Help them work better by fostering a relaxing environment, such as proper ventilation and heating/cooling, soundproof walls, and free coffee and a game room where they can take a break from their computer screens.

Ask For Feedback

Feedback from employees is an invaluable piece of data that can be used by companies to refine their current processes and protocols. No one is more qualified to give feedback about how you are running your company than the employees who have to navigate through it on a daily basis. Since their work is hands-on, they know what works and what could use improving. They can point you to parts of the operation that are unnecessary and create cost or, better yet, give you ideas on how to streamline current operations.

Final Thoughts

Creating an efficient workforce involves trial and error. The hiring process, however, makes the strongest impact. Tailor your job ads to reflect your company’s mission and vision and only use trusted platforms to post them online. Being thorough when it comes to pre-screening and interviewing candidates will yield an effective workforce and a high retention rate.

Contributed byhttp://www.awardco.com/