Businesses Thrive When Everyone Knows The Ground Rules

BY CORINA VUCIC, DIRECTOR OF FC BUSINESS SOLUTIONS Employing someone in your business is similar to recruiting someone on to your sporting team. There are goals to achieve, there’s a plan to get there and there are rules around how you play the game.

How do you educate your employees about the rules and your expectations of them as team players?

Start With a Job Description

Make it clear and detailed. Try to limit vague duties such as “as required.” A job description is your starting point for measuring someone’s performance. It sets the expectations and is a starting point for identifying any training that’s needed. As your employee develops and takes on new roles in your business, always provide them with a new, updated job description.

Provide the Policies and Procedures

A well written employee handbook (or policy manual) will lay out all the rules and expectations around their employment. It will cover their entitlements, policies on a whole range of things from maternity leave to drugs and alcohol in the workplace, and will set the safety and wellbeing standards you expect. Procedure manuals should outline how things are done in your business. Which position (person) is responsible for what; the workflow pattern; how that’s achieved; what to do in certain circumstances, and any machinery or equipment information, for example. A new employee should be able to pick up this document and work out who to approach about a particular issue, as well as being provided with a richly detailed manual as they learn your business and their role.

Circulate the Goals and Strategies

Coaches make it very clear that the goal is to win. Similarly, as an employer, you need to share your goals with your team. Tell them what you are aiming to achieve, get them excited about it, invite their feedback and celebrate wins along the way.

Shape the Winning Culture

Culture is make or break on a sporting team and also for a business team. You will have policies about harassment, bullying, racism etc. Make sure they are lived by your team. If you see a problem, don’t wait for a complaint: talk to the perpetrator about amending their ways. A toxic employee can cause significant harm to your business. Make ‘respect’ the common value of everyone on your team. Workshop what other values are important to your employees. Ask them, “if we are hiring new team members, what is the one value that you insist they possess?” Out of this exercise will fall five or six words that you can use to shape your culture. Everyone spends so much of their time at work that it’s important that they enjoy being there. Yes, the work has to be done, but equally important is taking time to have some fun and to reward achievements – to bond, build relationships and become a true team.

Following these strategies will not only give you the best chance of building a top performing team, but it will also mean that you become an employer of choice – someone people want to work for. And - as a bonus - you should be meeting many of the legal expectations as set out by Fair Work Australia.