There are certain means of behavior which characterize employees that businesses often fail to consider. This article will showcase several cultural observations to take into account as you design the internal operations of your MSP business. Applying some of these methods could be that which differentiates you from your peers through dint of better services. With that in mind, several considerable aspects of handling employees and interaction include:
- Prioritizing transparency in operations
- Allowing employees to connect with clientele
- Ensuring the well-being of employees
- Ensuring that employees have purpose beyond profit
Transparency
Your MSP business should take every care to let your employees know where they’re going to incorporate them into your forward plans. Granted, certain proprietary things probably shouldn’t be disseminated through the ranks; but for the most part, you should be able to explain to employees what you’re doing and why.
This can save a lot of trouble. Many issues your MSP will have with employees is related to their lack of understanding in reference to your MSP’s overall aim: “Why are we doing things like X when doing them like Y is much faster and easier?” Well, if you’re transparent, then the employee will already know that X method of completion is more statistically comprehensive than Y, and this gives the company better data from which to design further marketing campaigns. The point is, if your employees have a better understanding, they’re likely to exhibit better performance. They won’t have to stop what they’re doing to get a question answered, and they won’t be as dissatisfied with what may have appeared menial. Additionally, they may come up with a solution from a perspective alien to management.
Connecting With Clientele
Again, this is discretionary. Perhaps it’d be best not to have your office’s custodian conducting business calls, but many employees at your MSP are going to have moments where it would be faster and more informative if they contact specific clients. This also makes employees feel as though they have a greater responsibility–because they do. Plus, you may find that they forge relationships with clients that retain both employee and the client. Provided you’re strategic about this, it’s generally a good idea. Finally, such connectivity makes employees feel important, needed, and worthwhile to your organization.
Well-being
Have you ever heard phrases like, “you can’t fight on an empty stomach,” or “haste makes waste”? A lot of pithy aphorisms like this develop from basic observations of truths silhouetting human nature. When people are angry or upset–when they don’t feel well–they tend to hurry, stress out and cause problems. When they haven’t eaten well, they tend to get irritable, upset, and may even lose cognitive ability.
You need to take this aspect of humanity into account. Provide refreshments in the break room. Coffee and tea are great ideas, as is relaxing music, a cool environment, vending machines, and soft chairs. You’ve got to give employees somewhere they can go when things are getting difficult. One solution might be a $200 voucher for health services. Another solution might be having team building activities and company outings and other similar things that give additional reasons to employees to appreciate where they work. Find ways of making it easier for employees to work, and they’ll be more profitable.
Purpose
Your employees need to feel that they’re not just working for money, but that they’re working toward something purposeful. The best way to make them feel this way is to make your company purposeful. Perhaps contribute to charitable organizations, or give back to the community in some other way. Make working for your company something that gives employees meaning and a paycheck.
Expanded Profitability
If your MSP business is careful to give employees purpose, well-being, responsibility in client handling, and the feeling that operations are transparent, you’ll see increased profitability naturally. So, consider how you can optimize your MSP for maximum service delivery through such social observations.
