Building a Strong Staff

“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” Mary Kay Ash – Mary Kay Cosmetics

It’s no secret that high-performing companies have high-performing teams.  How can business leaders ensure that they are building a strong staff and team to make their business successful?  According to Insight Assessment Online, building a strong staff to help your company consists of three key components:

1. Hire Smart – Don’t hire someone who is not highly skilled for the position you need filled.  Ask yourself several questions before hiring:  Does this person have the ability to expand or build on the skill set they already possess? Does this person have the self-motivation needed to be a contributing member to the team? Is the person a thinker and problem solver or do they require hand holding? Can you envision this person meshing with the rest of the team with a personality that fits with the rest of the company and ultimately your brand image?  Does this person have skills that compliment the skills you already have in the office or do they have skills that fill a void in your team?
2. Identify strengths and talents of team members – This may take time and some level of trial and error but place team members in positions where they can perform the best.  Once you have identified each staff member’s strength or weakness, build off the positives through professional development, conferences and incentives that will make them more productive and invested workers. Position your top performers in positions that will make them shine.  Match people with certain talents with others to build on their own natural strengths.
3. Foster a positive environment – Encourage team members to be creative and work productively by valuing the great job they are doing.  Be connected and communicative with employes so they know you are aware of their hard work.  Be sure that everyone knows the ultimate goal and has clear responsibilities.  A lack of clarity and purpose can confuse and frustrate teams.
4. Be Flexible – Not all employees are the same.  Realize that home and family life can be complicated.  Team members will be more invested and possibly more productive if they worry less about what is going on at home.  Does your company have a flex scheduling, telecommuting or other incentive policy that could make for happier team members?  Building a strong team can sometimes mean understanding the needs of the team both at work and at home.

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