Employees often wear many hats in a small business. With meetings, deadlines, and new projects on the horizon, it’s no wonder they feel overwhelmed. Use these ideas to keep them focused on business needs, even when stress is high.

Value Your Employees

Employees who feel valued are often more motivated and less likely to feel overwhelmed. From a simple “thank you” to showcasing an employee’s accomplishments, it’s vital to let your employees know they are appreciated and important to the business. Team outings, individual recognition or opportunities for growth are a few ways to show appreciation.

One of the most effective ways to keep an employee engaged is to ensure they have clearly defined goals and objectives. Be sure they have an understanding of how they relate to the organization’s ultimate vision.

Invest in Healthy Employees

Employees are more likely to overcome challenges and tackle complex projects if they are healthy. Help your employees by investing in wellness programs and resources. For some businesses that might include: discounted gym memberships, healthy choices in the vending machine, or guest speakers on health and wellness topics. 

Perhaps some of your employees have two jobs and little time to themselves outside of work. Would telecommuting or restructuring their hours help reduce their stress? Do your best to accommodate your employees’ needs and they’ll be better equipped to meet your business needs.

Be Accessible

A closed-off employee is more likely to feel overwhelmed. So it’s crucial to be accessible. Be available to answer questions, provide feedback, address issues, and help your employees bring out the best in themselves. 

There are many ways to promote accessibility like one-on-one coaching sessions or creating an open workspace to facilitate communication. Use tools like texting, Slack, and Facebook Messenger to be available even when you can’t be at the office.

Be Transparent About Shortcomings

If you hold your employees accountable for falling short of their goals, you should be willing to abide by the same standards. It’s important to keep your team in the loop when the business misses the bar.

Identify big picture issues and missed details, but avoid pointing fingers or assigning blame. Even the most organized, innovative, and productive businesses miss a goal every now and again. Mistakes should be analyzed and transformed into learning opportunities for your team as a whole. 

For example, what could we have done differently? Were projects allocated effectively? Would better communication create more innovation? Savvy owners know that this team mentality is vital for long-term growth.

Happy, motivated, and engaged employees are an organization’s greatest asset. Proactively keep them from feeling overwhelmed by acknowledging success, opening the lines of communication and constructively solving problems.