How to Help Struggling Employees as an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurship brings many benefits and many challenges. The joy of ownership is often tempered by everyday concerns such as profit margins and staffing conflicts. Workforce management is a critical aspect for any business owner. Employees who are struggling or falling behind impact productivity and could negatively affect the overall customer experience. Providing help for struggling employees will also help the business's bottom line. 

Establish Effective Training

Set new hires up for success by having an established and consistent training protocol in place. As a best practice, effective training programs will prevent employees from feeling inadequate or insecure about their ability to do their job. It is much easier to keep employees from struggling than get them back on the right track after going astray. Onboarding new employees and staff members that are transitioning to a new role is an essential function for entrepreneurs. 

Encourage Open Dialogue

Create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing personnel issues. This is especially important if there is no external Human Resources representative available for on-site concerns. Encourage employees to express their questions and concerns by creating a safe space for them to have these conversations. 

Remember to follow up with employees when they bring a concern to your attention. If they need additional training or job aid, be sure to provide that accommodation in a timely manner. This small but important step is an easy way to prevent a culture where dissatisfied employees create an undercurrent of negativity that impacts other employees, customers, and general productivity. 
 

Remain Mindfully Aware

Employee coaching and development is an ongoing activity for entrepreneurs and their management teams. Collaborated efforts will certainly yield positive results such as motivated and loyal employees. Yet, even the most well-oiled machines require regular tune-ups to keep them in peak operating condition. Depending on the size of your workforce, make an effort to stay connected. Check-in with staff members individually when possible and give them an opportunity to discuss their own agenda—schedule town hall meetings to address larger groups and allow time for questions at the end.