Diana Smith, Negosentro | Although small businesses have seen a huge spike in popularity over the course of the last decade, experts are still trying to fully wrap their heads around the entire concept. As still a relatively experimental way of doing business, startups come with numerous potential benefits compared to large companies but remain a partially explored territory. As such, small businesses abide by somewhat “special” rules when it comes to productivity, the main focus being on finding low-cost ways to boost it.
It all starts with the hiring process
Where large companies hire “in bulk”, looking to compensate the lack of quality with quantity, small businesses are far better off allocating more time for hiring carefully and dedicatedly. The content of a CV still matters, only in a different capacity: while big-time business owners will almost always look for skills required for the job, aspiring entrepreneurs use the information to get a general idea of what to expect form a potential employee. This is where the big data plays an essential role: using the internet for getting to know the future employee in a more personal light is the essence of future productivity. Yes, this includes investigating through social media pages, and no, this is not an invasion of privacy: if a user doesn’t want to expose their personal life on social media, they have all the means necessary to protect themselves from “curious eyes”. Hire a good team that will focus on each process with dedication and, more importantly, passion, and get out of their way.
A relaxed environment
The world is growing sick of the “9-5 routine”. In fact, people are increasingly starting to become aware of all the downsides of the typical work hours. Provided that an entrepreneur has surrounded themselves with dedicated, passionate workers, there’s going to be little need to strictly determine the work hours to begin with. The infamous routine is simply bad for productivity: the more you make your employees “slave away” their salaries, the more of an chore it becomes. With the common goal of bringing a successful business to the market, there is little space for slacking and cutting corners. At the end of the day, it’s the performance that matters. Nothing breathes motivation as a common goal, and motivation is the pillar of productivity.
A quality working environment
Contrary to what you may think, it’s not a spacious, expensive mahogany table that will motivate an employee – sure, it may do the trick for a while, but it will quickly fade away. More than anything, it’s the subconscious that influences the performance of a worker, when it comes to the environment. Choosing appropriate colors for your office space and all the featured rooms is of the essence. For example, the color green inspires tranquility and is an excellent choice for the break room, while the color red inspires energy and attention, which is perfect for the conference room. Decoration is also very important. For example, putting soft and cozy rugs in every room will make the whole place seem warm and pleasant.
Have fun outside work
In order to be effective, efficient and productive, your team will need a certain level of interpersonal “intimacy”, and this isn’t something a work environment can provide. Organizing weekly team building events can help out here. Now, team building can sound a bit tedious, which is why it’s important that you (and your employees) realize what team building is: an opportunity for your employees to get to know each other, so that they can, in turn, develop cohesive working relationships. The social aspect of business is very much present in every working environment, and it’s the small businesses that have helped us realize this.
Every successful entrepreneur knows that productivity is not something that can be forced onto people – when forced, professionals succumb to pressure, and it’s only a matter of time until this starts reflecting on their general productivity levels. Starting with the process of hiring, all the way to providing a relaxed and quality environment for your employees, and allowing them to connect on a personal level, every step of the way matters if you want your business to function like a well-oiled machine.
