Every business owner will encounter a few obstacles throughout their time in management. However, some issues are a little more worrying than others. Reduced workflow is undoubtedly one of the biggest concerns, especially as it can impact the success of the entire venture.

Productivity will inevitably slump from time to time, and temporary issues can be legislated for. It’s the long-term issues that should set the alarm bells ringing. There’s no question that it can be a frustrating time for any entrepreneur. On a brighter note, the source of those problems is probably quite simple.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most likely situations, along with how to fix them.

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Faulty Machinery

They say a bad workman blames his tools. In truth, though, even the best workers will see limited results if the facilities aren’t in place. Even the slightest fault with machinery could cause a major impact on the speed and accuracy of tasks completed. This is why quick action is essential.

From office equipment to construction machinery, it’s vital that those systems are in great health. If a tool that using liquid power energy becomes faulty, it will cause a negative impact on the entire process. A hydraulic pipe repair could be key to restoring those systems back to full health. With those elements firing on all cylinders, there’s no reason the business can’t perform as expected.

Time is money in business, which is why regular maintenance is key. Likewise, a stitch in time saves nine and a faster response may prevent more costly damage further down the line.

Poor Team Atmosphere

As well as the facilities, the success of your business relies heavily on the quality of your team. However, building a team of capable of employees is only one part of the challenge. Keeping them motivated and on the same wavelength is often the difference between a good business and a great one. Do not forget it.

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Focusing on the culture of your working environment is vital at all times. One lapse can soon snowball to cause huge damage. Worse still, those problems might not simply influence the workflow. In many cases, a poor atmosphere can lead to a worse experience for the customer.

Lack Of Organisation

Getting your team to do things is one thing. But getting them to complete those tasks in an effective manner is another altogether. If the organisational aspects are lacking, there’s a very good chance that this will be the source of your troubles.

Embracing new technology can make a monumental impact. Turning the office into a paperless environment, for example, can save valuable minutes. Meanwhile, you should invest in new tactics in board meetings to ensure that they run fast and smooth.

Every minute spent searching for items or direction is another 60 seconds wasted. It might not feel like a big deal, but they’ll soon add up to blow a hole in the productivity. Find the right balance, however, and you’ll be destined for greatness.

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Are you a people person? If so, there are plenty of career opportunities for you to explore, all of which will give you plenty of job satisfaction. Don’t forget, being able to work with people is a skill in itself, and it’s one that you should put to good use. The simple fact is that not everyone can raise a smile, help others, or be the perfect ear to listen to problems. So, if you can identify with this fantastic personality trait, read on. I’ve pulled together some of the best career moves for you to consider. Let’s take a closer look.

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Nursing

The medical world is full of people who love helping others – it’s part of the reason why they go through all that training. And sitting at the top of the people person tree has to be the nurse. They are closer to their patients than any other person in a hospital, and being kind, caring, and friendly at all times is a critical part of the job. It can be tough to keep smiling, of course. You will be dealing with very sick people at times. But those are the skills that will help them – and their families – get through some of the most difficult times of their life.

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Marketer

While marketers don’t have to talk to lots of people every day, they need to understand them! You have to know what makes people tick if you want to compel them into taking action. You need to master the art of persuasion, communicate to a focused audience on a large scale, and understand what drives them on in life. I recommend getting a qualification in marketing as it will give you a boost up the ladder in the early stages of your career.

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Therapist

Do you love getting into people’s minds and finding out who they really are? If so, why not consider becoming a therapist or counsellor? You will get to meet new people every day, each with their own set of problems. You will need to listen, and have the ability to empathise – while at the same time, diagnose their problems. Again, it’s not the easiest line of work, but the impact you can have on people’s lives can be incredible.

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Pub landlord

Pub owners are often known as the working man’s therapist. It is essential that you are good with people, and can relate to your customers. You could become an integral part of the community, and despite the fact many pubs are closing they are still in high demand. Choose your location wisely, however. There’s a lot of investment to make, from pub stools to decor, and you will need to establish yourself quickly. Many bars go out of business within the first couple of years, and a poor location is often the primary culprit.

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Restaurant manager

While we’re in the food and beverage sector, why not consider becoming a restaurant manager? It’s true that the catering sector isn’t thought of as highly in this country than others, but there is still a lot of career potential. You’ll need to be great with people, of course, and be able to make them feel welcome. But you will also need to have excellent organisational skills, a cool head, and ability to diffuse tense situations!

Are you a people person?

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You’re in a tough position. You’re a small business as it is, and you can’t afford to hire much staff to help you out. But, now you’ve found yourself in a situation where you think you’ve hired the wrong person. Is there any hope? Have you really put the wrong person in the wrong role? It’s time to find out.

Schedule Issues

This is something you’ll hopefully have worked out before the person was hired. You never want to be in a position where someone is seeking preferential treatment. If they tell you that they “can’t come in on Friday” because of a pre-arranged appointment, why is that? Why was this not mentioned during the interview process? Ultimately, if you find that scheduling issues are becoming too regular, you might both need to part ways.

The Complainer

Alright, so we’re fairly expectant that some employees might grow tired of the company after a long period there. It’s OK for the odd complaint to be bounced around by veterans of the company. It can even be beneficial for us! But, if you’ve got a new hire that’s complaining after weeks of service, it’s a big warning sign. It’s only going to get worse from here, so you’ll need to put a stop to it quickly before it elevates further.

Unable To Adapt

When you get a new hire that won’t stop talking about how things worked at their old job, you need be wary. Ultimately, they’re not working at their old job anymore. They need to get their fascination with it out of their minds because things work differently at your place! An inability to adapt signifies an unwillingness to do things a different way. When this becomes an issue, you might find that they bring the rest of the team’s morale down in the process.

Not A Team Player

You’re running a start up business, and that means you’ve probably got a small team of loyal employees. If just one of those employees causes a problem to the team morale, you’re in huge trouble. It can bring the entire productivity of your business crashing to the ground, causing irreparable damage in some cases. It’s imperative that you bring someone into the company that can act as a team player. If you’re unable to do this, don’t be surprised when your current staff gets frustrated and disillusioned.

Learning Curve Problems

Every job has a learning curve, and you expect new hires to struggle for a while after they’ve been employed. There comes a time when this needs to stop, however, and this is where you need to be careful. If an employee is making the same mistakes over and over, it’s a cause for concern. It might show that you’ve hired the wrong person for the wrong role, or it might just be a training issue. Figure this out quickly, as you need to solve the problem before it gets worse.

Have you hired the wrong person? Hopefully, you don’t need to resort to showing them the door just yet.

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It’s one of those things that businesses put off as long as they can. A good handbook is not only time-consuming to put together but must contain all the necessary information it requires. If you forget to include certain details, you could find yourself in a tricky position later on. It’s all about covering your back, as well as settling in your new employees as best you can. You can tinker around with what you include in your handbook to a certain extent, but there are a few necessities. Let’s take a look.

General Company Information

Most handbooks begin with a general blurb about the company and what it aims to achieve. This is a good way to get your new employee accustomed to the business and how it operates. You can get as extensive as you want in terms of what you include here. Normally, a bit about the company’s history is a good way to get started. Goals and the ethos of the business might come next, followed by a personal message from you directly. You can get quite creative with this.

Safety Policies
There are a whole bunch of safety policies that you should have in place when it comes to your business. These need to be documented in the handbook. Possibly the most important of all is your health and safety policy. You must get across your stance on health and safety in the workplace, including any relevant tailored information. This is especially important for businesses that regularly work in dangerous environments. Other policies can surround workplace bullying and data protection, both of which should be included.

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Disciplinary Procedures

It’s a requirement of your handbook that you outline the disciplinary procedures properly. If you fail to do this, a disgruntled employee could later point to the handbook as an inaccurate source of information. This could then assist them when claiming in an unfair dismissal case, for example. So, every detail about disciplinary should be outlined in full. You can’t just make it up as you go along – disciplinary actions must follow strict law guidelines. An employment law specialist can help with this if you’re in any doubt.

Technology Use Policies

There was a time when technology use policies would have been laughed at. These days, they’re an essential part of your handbook’s contents. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, you need to protect the business by strictly prohibiting personal internet usage on company time. You might also have rules in place surrounding company phones and laptops. Also, as mentioned earlier, data protection is yet another very important consideration. Without implementing the right policies, you could just find your data getting into the wrong hands.

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Holiday Entitlements

This one is fairly self-explanatory, and it relates to the holiday entitlements that your employees have. Every handbook should make these allowances clear in order to prevent any confusion going forward. Obviously, you’ll need to include the set amount of holiday that employees are allowed. Then, account for any extra entitlements they might get, and who they should contact when requesting holiday. You might have to add a few tailored rules in there about holiday request timings, too.

Dress Code & Behavioural Standards

This is another necessity that you’ll find in any good handbook out there. Start with the dress code, which you’ll need to be very detailed with. You’re not running a school, but you’d be amazed at how many people dress like a teenager when given the chance! So, be clear with exactly what is expected of your employees, or you’ll have no leg to stand on when they turn up in a hoodie. Of course, behavioural standards relate to how employees should act around the business. To prevent bullying, this should be documented and incorporated into your disciplinary procedure.

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Additional Benefits

This is where we get a bit more tailored, and there’s no set structure for what you need to include. However, many companies operate an overtime structure, and this might be a good time to include it. So, make it clear how much employees should be expected to make when doing overtime to avoid any grievances later. Other benefits can include discounts, memberships and bonuses, and they should all be documented. If they’re not in the book, problems can arise.

Sickness & Grievance Procedures

Every company is required to have both sickness and grievance procedures, and you’ll need to document them as well. Like disciplinary procedures, both these areas can be tricky to get your ahead around from a legal perspective. So, brush up on your knowledge before you go drafting this area of the book. If you don’t follow the law to the letter, this is yet another area where you can get bitten in the backside.

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Payment Information

You can’t forget about this! You better believe that a new employee will skip to this section the first time they read the employee handbook. Sorry…all that effort you put into the company description will probably go unnoticed! Handbooks are rarely generated on an individual basis, so you’ll need to be generic with this. Don’t go into specific payment information, but note when employees should expect to be paid. All they want to know is when they’ll get their money, and how many deductions might be taken off it. Get all the relevant information in there.

Nondisclosure Policies

When you’re working with confidential data, you can’t afford for your employees to go blabbering about it. This is why you need nondisclosure policies. This policy also needs to account for those that leave the company. Sometimes, a business might prevent that person from encouraging others to leave as well. Or, it might have rules about working for an opposing company and sharing secrets.

If you have any concerns when drafting your employee handbook, be sure to consult the law. As long as you’re adhering from a legal standpoint, the rest will fall into place. Now, it’s time to get down to work and put that book together!

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