Engage your Employees to Beat the Recession

"I have recently had to let some people go. They were great people, but with our financial projections, we had to downsize. Some of my current staff has begun to get a bit discouraged about the company as a result of slowing sales and their friends no longer working here. What are some ways that I can make sure my remaining team stays excited and engaged during a tough time?"    - Worried Business Owner 

Get your people involved in the come-back.

Have a meeting and show them the numbers – where revenue was the last few years, and how much it’s dropped off. Explain the relationship between sales, headcount, and profits. Take questions, give straight answers, and encourage discussion.

Share your vision for the future. It might be emerging from the recession stronger than ever, or simply surviving. Regardless, give them the unvarnished truth. And, be sure to set the tone as positive and optimistic.

Ask for their active participation and support. First, banish the rumor mill and negativity. If your people have concerns or complaints, they should voice them in company meetings, to a supervisor or to you. No grousing around the water cooler.

Put a mechanism in place to collect ideas for improving the situation: Customers. Marketing and sales activities. Cost of goods. Overhead expenses. Productivity. Receivables. Cash.

Of course, your team will want to know how things are going. Have regular follow-up meetings and post results on the wall. Show them that their ideas are being implemented. Share the results, and acknowledge those who submitted ideas. Learn from mistakes and celebrate even small wins.

That’s it. Transparency, engage your team, be smart and work hard.

Bill Collier is the author of “How to Succeed as a Small Business Owner … and Still Have a Life” and is the St. Louis area coach for The Great Game of Business. He helps businesses teach their employees to think and act like owners. He can be reached at 314-221-8558 or bill@collierbiz.com.