How to Manage Your Workforce During Periods of High Growth

A big challenge for any business as it expands is to be able to adjust accordingly. When a company experiences high growth, it must adapt in order to continue being efficient and successful. More often than not, this includes restructuring the workforce or hiring new team members.

Employees are the linchpin of any business; they are usually the main point of contact with your customers and as such, are a vital element of customer experience and satisfaction. Managing a growing workforce is challenging, but the key is to find solutions that keep employees happy and engaged. Effective workforce management is easily attainable with the proper research and the right mindset. Here are some of the ways to make sure your workforce is connected to their job, company and team:

1. Keep lines of communication open

Make sure communication is clear and effective for your workforce. In the fast-paced routine of a business, it is easy for misunderstandings to come about, and for employees to become disengaged. It can be frustrating to feel like you don’t have a voice in the company where you’re dedicating your time. Make sure current employees have the opportunity to be involved in training and learning new skills that help them adapt to added responsibilities that come about as the business grows. Communicate with your team in order to be in touch with their needs. In a similar vein, provide proper training for new hires, so that all of the workforce can perform their jobs to the best of their ability.

2. Make work time efficient

Too much work leads to stress and a lower quality of life. More time in the office means less time to spend with family and friends, so consider how work can become more time efficient for everyone. Businesses can improve morale and productivity with accommodating workforce policies that respect each person in the team.

A good case study for this is Basement Pumps Limited, which has clients in the South East of England. According to Rick Peacock, Director of the company, he used to spend hours daily going through service sheets and invoices at the end of each workday. Unsatisfied with the high demand, he researched an alternative. The solution that worked for him was Okappy;

“The main thing we’ve gained is time. I easily save two hours a day which was previously spent sifting through paperwork. This adds up to over a day of work a week if you think about it.”

3. Use technology wisely

There are many ways in which technology can make it easier to manage your workforce. Using a system that enables employees to do less without affecting the quality of the outcome will lead to a more efficient working relationship. Tools such as real-time job management applications automate processes so your workforce can spend the majority of their time and energy on the more human-related aspects of the job.

Remote technologies that support real-time updates make communication swifter, and much more direct. They enable employees to manage themselves better, by providing an easy to understand review of their progress. Likewise, management can have a clear overview and a quick way to address any issues that arise.

In conclusion

When a business experiences high growth, it is vital to remain connected to the workforce as they are crucial for the running of any successful company. Periods of expansion are usually very intense, but managing employees should always be a priority. If you make sure you are communicating openly with your workforce, making work time efficient and using technology in the best possible way, you will inevitably be on the way to a smooth expansion period.