No one knows more about your business than you do. That includes the direction and vision you have for growth. It could be more time off, it could be more clients, it could be breaking into a new sector. You hired skilled and motivated employees but without your direction there is no guarantee that they will make progress in the direction you are aiming. The best way to get them to aim with you is to understand that they have aims of their own. These aims, yours and theirs are also a moving target. Times change, home lives shift, and often the ability to pivot or rearrange things is the key to success in those situations. Your team needs you to lead, but the most important part of leading is listening. They possess skills you need to move forward, but it’s your job to offer something motivating TO THEM so that they want to move in your direction. Without listening to what they need you can’t understand what motivates them. This is what we call alignment.
Not only do you need to align with your staff, but that alignment often needs adjustment. Unfortunately aligning with employees at all times is like asking a teenager not to bump the curbs as they turn or park. It’s not going to happen. That’s why checking on their motivations and lives often is so crucial. But have you checked in on your alignment between your own personal life and your business?
The 2020 demand for remote work didn’t just shake up corporate offices. It changed the way many look at their time. It is essential, even as a business owner, to think about your perfect work/life balance. Perfect for right now, during a busy season, in a month or a year. Letting this be a key driver of your decisions can lead to a major increase in the satisfaction you feel in both areas of your life. As your business or life fluctuates, the policies and processes should be fluid enough to allow for some give and take between the two areas of your life.
Most importantly, and probably hardest to nail down, is communication. It needs to be useful and informative without limiting the creativity and initiative your staff and family might add. You don’t want them to feel smothered or like you’re micromanaging them. But letting everyone in your life know when you have a big project is important. You may need extra help managing the household when tackling a challenging season. You may need to offload some projects to your staff so that you can take a break and recharge. And remember that it goes both ways, you might need to pick up their slack during busy seasons of their lives as well. That’s what being a part of a team is all about! Not only will it improve work but also help your family. No one wants to be thinking about if the bills got paid while on your only weekend get away for the season.
Communication should be encouraged both ways. Just talking with and engaging in your employees lives is key to checking the pulse on their stress and abilities. This includes stress or relaxation time in their home life. It might mean shifting around burdens so that everyone is taking on the projects that they can perform best on. When communication is effective, both work and home life needs can be met on both sides. Happy healthy employees do the best work, and allowing them to find a balance between home and work starts and ends with taking an active interest in them as people. Failing to actively manage this element of your business often results in unnecessary employee turnover or even arguments on the home front. Whether this is your moment to knuckle down and focus on work, or to enjoy time with family and friends communicating about work/life balance and focusing on employee needs is never a bad idea.