5 Tips for Incorporating a Leadership and Management Development program into your Small Business

“Ways to retain and develop top talent and team players”

Whenever there is small business growth and a demand for that product or service, the owner has to decide on how to expand and whether to increase its workforce. This is a good sign because it means the company is growing; however, finding the right employee and retaining them could be a daunting task. Many business owners are left asking themselves, what do you do when you find that perfect worker that believes in your vision and has the capacity to take on additional responsibilities? Moreover, how do you reward and retain them? If you want to retain and grow your talent as your company grows, these are important questions that you need to answer as a business owner. Planning for the future is paramount for the growth of any business, and in order to grow, a business has to have the right leadership and management team in place.

If you are a small business seeking to develop your team into leaders or have personnel with management potential, asking these questions would position your company to have a stronger foundation and sustained growth.

What is the long-term vision of the company? Carefully analyze where you want the company to be in the future. For example, decide where do you see the company 20 years from now? By identifying the intended destination, you can map out the journey that your company would have to take. It will also allow you to foresee the costs and benefits that you need to be ready with to get to your target. Not only that, this will help you identify the answers to the succeeding questions.

What is the career ladder process for your employees and management? If you know where you want the company to be in, you can definitely identify where the employees should be positioned. Additionally, you can also map out how employees will rise in the organizational chart — like how supervisors will become managers, etc.

What core traits and skills do you want on your management team? This question is necessary if you want to hire the right people for the job. Some of the best traits include integrity, having innovative, and being organized. You can also add specific traits that will allow your workforce to function effectively and efficiently — according to the needs of the company.

How is your management development program going to look? One of the best ways to retain an employee is by taking care of them. They should experience some form of growth so you can promote them or give them more responsibilities. This is why this program is very important. Figure out how you will do this. Should an employee expect a promotion every 1 or 2 years? How should they transition to the higher position? Will they go through some hands-on training; or a couple of classroom training is enough to equip them for more responsibilities? The answer to these questions will depend on the skill that the employee needs and your training budget.

What type of culture do you want your management team and employees to embrace? Oftentimes, the culture in the company can motivate your employees — or it can discourage them. This really depends on how you manage your workforce. Usually, giving them enough challenge will engage them and make the work interesting, but make sure to find the balance because giving them too much could burn them out. Establish the right set of rules that will set the culture that you want the company to have. For instance, regulate overtimes so the employees will be forced to improve productivity from 9–5, or provide incentives to encourage them to take on more responsibilities. These are only some of the things you can do to improve the culture in the company.

Benson Group, LLC is a people management and organizational development company that equips businesses to maximize human capital by helping individuals unleash their true potential. We offer Human Resources and Organizational Development solutions that equip companies to fulfill their manpower requirements. Please contact us at 844–417–3223 or contact@bensongroupllc.com if you are ready to make a difference in your workforce. Please visit www.smallbusinesshrpro.com to learn more about our services.