When an employee isn’t happy at work, everyone is affected. Customers notice. Other team members pick up on the negativity. Ultimately, having an unhappy employee could lead to increased conflict and turnover—something every franchise owner tries to avoid.
Here are five of the top employee concerns and how to fix them so they don’t hurt your franchise.
#1. Wages and Benefits
Let’s face it. Few people go to work for someone else purely for the enjoyment of it. Most people work with a goal of getting paid and getting support (benefits).
Consider how much you’re able to pay your employees. The lower the wage, the less your employees will feel motivated to work for you.
Benefits also play a key role in your employees’ happiness. Whenever possible, especially for lower paid positions, try to offer extra perks to the job. For example, offer paid time off. This will help your employee feel more loyal to your company because they know they’re being treated fairly and well.
#2. Schedules
Your employees give up a part of their day to come work for you. If they have family, school or other commitments outside of your business, they might need special consideration for their schedule.
Even if you’re not able to offer paid time off, giving your employees a flexible schedule can help them feel happier at work. By showing your employees you respect their work/life balance, you’ll be better able to have happier, more productive employees showing up day in and day out.
#3. Management
The managers at your franchise matter. These are the people who set the tone for the workday. If they’re negative, critical or disliked by your employees, you have a problem on your hands.
Pay attention to the feedback you’re getting from your employees. If you hear about conflict between management and your team, address it right away. Maintain an open door policy so your employees feel enabled to tell you about their feelings before problems escalate.
#4. Communication
Communication is important between your employees, your management team and you. If you implement a new sale, new procedure, or new expectation, make sure it’s clearly communicated to the entire team. Not doing so could create confusion, which could ultimately lead to ill will among your team.
#5. Favoritism
Favoritism in the workplace happens more often than many business owners realize. Many times, it’s unintentional.
Creating policies can help eliminate managers playing favorites to specific employees, mitigating this common concern. Make sure you have a plan in place for procedures that could spark favoritism, such as schedule requests and benefit options.
Are You Doing Everything You Can to Prevent These Common Employee Concerns?
These employee concerns are common because they happen so easily. By being aware of them, you’re better equipped to stop the concerns (and potential turnover) before it becomes an issue.
