Lacson: Employees first, customers second

UNDOUBTEDLY, employees are the most important component that affect any organization, business, or company. While finances are amongst the primary necessities that any entrepreneur must take into consideration, investing in people is also a requisite to ensure a successful and profitable business undertaking. American business magnate Richard Branson highly believes that customers only comes second and said, "Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients."

This integral aspect of a business is the fundamental role of the Human Resources (HR) Department, which is mainly responsible for taking care of the employees through various programs and activities that are geared towards the improvement and satisfaction of the working force. For beginning entrepreneurs of small to medium companies, the question now is, how can HR create value for business?

Create competitive salary packages

Whether employees admit it or not, the main reason for joining a company is to earn a living. Most people get attracted to competitive rates and employee benefits such as salary bonuses, merit increases, paid leave credits, social security premiums, health insurance coverage, and other valuable perks which may further motivate and inspire them to work. Other employee-driven companies even offer benefits beyond what is required by the law such as retirement plans, family care services, vehicle services, and other extra remunerations that the management afford to give to its workers.

Facilitate training and development programs

Cliché as it may sound, but it is true that learning must never stop. And so, while employees are engaged in routine office work, or frontline customer servicing, the HR Department must ensure that its human resources continuously build up their skills, knowledge, and attitudes towards work. This goal can be attained by conducting trainings and seminars which are focused on the needs of the employees, and more importantly, how they can further contribute to the success of the company. The HR team can also conduct team building activities, employee orientations, rest and recreation activities, and other employee welfare programs. These activities do not only aim to develop competencies of the work force but it also becomes a mechanism for the employees to develop a sense of teamwork and camaraderie.

Design a rewards program for model employees

This program, which is mostly done in service-oriented businesses, is a well-proven technique to keep employees motivated and driven. This may come as a monthly recognition program which highlights the best employee based on performances, or may also be done annually where a group of employees may be awarded with recognitions and for some, monetary incentives as well.

Aside from the abovementioned strategies to develop and train employees, the HR team can still plan and propose other unique ideas and activities which can highly encourage a competent, reliable, and passionate workforce that certainly gives value to any business whether big or small.

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