Most entrepreneurs love the excitement that comes from turning a product or service concept into a profitable business. But while focusing on product development and a great sales and marketing plan is part of helping to make this possible, having the right team working for the company can be an invaluable asset.
Still, creating a great team to help move a startup business forward is often much easier said than done. It can be difficult to find talented individuals willing to be part of your team, especially when dealing with the growing competition in most industries today.
However, by following some effective strategies, you can make it much easier to attract top talent while creating the right company culture that minimizes employee turnover.
Defining Your Team’s DNA
As you establish your business foundation, your company’s DNA will show in everything you do. This includes the shared values you have with your employees, the company’s overall visions, and the established culture.
Having a clear and consistent company vision gives the business purpose and helps ensure proper alignment. The core values you establish are also critical and will help drive certain attitudes regarding day-to-day tasks and critical decisions.
When it’s time to start building your team, you should always have in the back of your mind “culture add” instead of “culture fit.” What this refers to is that while finding someone who can fit seamlessly in your current business format, finding someone who can add a new diversity of skill sets or industry perspectives is what will help your business develop faster.
Remember that the DNA you establish will inevitably become your blueprint for success. By laying this groundwork ahead of time, you’ll be able to more easily find individuals who will contribute to creating a more cohesive and higher-performing team.
Attracting The Best Talent
Sourcing quality talent is an important part of creating a successful business. However, with so much competition in the job market today, it can be hard to know where to focus your attention. Below are some effective tips you can follow to help get more attention from potential job candidates:
Creating an Attractive Brand
Since most individuals will most likely never hear of your brand, it’s important to help set the right first impression. The brand image you create for yourself will play a deciding factor in whether or not job candidates remain interested in applying for positions.
It’s important to showcase your unique value proposition on your website and social media networks to leave a strong impression.
Writing Effective Job Descriptions
Another important area where startups can make a good first impression is in their job descriptions. Instead of creating a generic listing that looks like every other business, think about how you can help yours stand out.
Highlight all of the growth opportunities with your new business while clearly communicating employees’ expected responsibilities. This helps to show a level of professionalism and structure that many people are looking for.
Asking the Right Questions in Interviews
During the interview process, you can understand the candidate’s skills and how they align with your company culture. To get the most out of this process, you’ll want to prepare questions designed to allow the candidate to provide their unique perspectives and show how well they can solve various business problems.
Developing Your Team Over Time
Simply finding great talent for your business doesn’t they’ll stick around long-term. In order to help ensure this happens, you’ll want to put in the effort to develop your team over time. The more you invest in your team, the more return you can expect to gain.
Here are some of the ways you can do this:
Continuous Learning and Development
Providing various forms of learning and development courses to your employees can be a great way to improve their knowledge and skillsets while helping to support both their own career goals and your business. You could consider putting together a list of online courses or relevant workshops sponsored by the company while making this part of your benefits package. Another idea is to provide free subscriptions to online learning platforms, allowing employees to learn new skills or improve their current ones when out of the office.
Mentorship and Coaching Programs
Giving employees mentors they can go to for guidance and support is another great way to motivate your teams.
Pairing employees with other professionals who can push them to achieve more of their potential allows individuals to become more specialized in their profession, putting them in a position to be promoted within the organization and make more of an impact on the business.
Regular Performance Reviews
Conducting regular employee performance reviews can be a great opportunity to share feedback, benefiting the employee directly and helping improve the business.
During this process, creating a safe space where communication can flow freely and without judgment is vital. This helps establish trust with employees and creates a healthier business environment.
Overcoming Common Team-Building Challenges
Even when you take the necessary steps to help build a great team environment in your startup business, you may run into various challenges at times. Below are some things to remember that can help you overcome these:
- Conflict Resolution – It’s natural for team members to disagree. However, the key is to openly address them in a respectful and constructive way. Guide your team members toward solutions that help both parties feel heard and address the core issues that need to be addressed.
- Adapting to Growth – As your startup starts to expand, it isn’t always easy to adapt to new changes. By having regular team meetings and check-ins with employees, you’ll be sure to address any roadblocks that new changes introduce and handle them proactively.
- Maintaining Employee Motivation – Employee motivation levels will always have highs and lows over the years. The important thing to remember is that during more difficult times, you should work on inspiring your team. Celebrating smaller wins together and recognizing accomplishments, no matter how small, can go a long way to helping to keep employee passion higher along with their output.
Build a Winning Team for Your Business
Developing a strong team for your startup business is as much of an art as science. However, by following these guidelines, you’ll be able to attract a more relevant pool of talent for your business while ensuring they continue to bring a large amount of value to your organization.
Author Bio Below:
Michael Bollinger, a Lexington, Kentucky-based entrepreneur, has left a lasting mark on the tech and software landscape. As the founder of LegFi and File990, Michael launched PayHOA.com in 2018 after Togetherwork acquired his first two ventures.
PayHOA is an affordable community management software for homeowner associations that streamlines payments, communication, and vendor management. Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Michael finds fulfillment as a devoted husband and a loving father to his three children.
