Once your business is off to a good start, you have a steady flow of clients and you start to consider growth, it is vital that you have the right team on board to support that journey, but how do you check that your team suit the needs of the business?
Here are some key considerations for ensuring you have a team that will make not break your growth strategy:
Capacity Planning
First and foremost it is important to look carefully at what growth will mean for your capacity. Based on the new customers, workload and revenue streams you are projecting, how much capacity are you going to need in terms of time and which areas will feel the most impact? If your team are already stretched (and it’s important to check to see where there is scope to add extra tasks, and who is already feeling the pinch) then you may need to recruit.
Are the Right Players in the Right Roles
All too often firms recruit, train and keep staff in roles failing to review if with the changing landscape of the business the staffing or skill set needs have shifted. While you may have given someone the same job description and job title for the last 5 years, if the needs of the business have changed, you may need to look again if that job title and description are in fact what the business needs. If making changes always ensure you are complying with employment law regulation, but don’t just leave things as they are just because they always have been.
Get Your Team on Board
The growth of a business can be exciting, but it will also bring with it a time of hard graft and change. This can really throw a team off if you don’t play it right. Communicate with your team what your ambitions are, and the opportunity the growth of the business presents for them. Be clear that to achieve this common goal it will take some hard work and adaptability, but make clear the why. Why should they care? Why is it good for them as well as you? What will be the benefits. Ensure that you have plans in place for managing change (who will be responsible for training new team members, how will workload be divvied up, how will we ensure all staff are clear about their role and responsibility) so that you are ready to support your team through the transition.
Remember Customer Experience
One of the risks in growing is keeping the same quality of service as when you are small. Putting training, processes and systems in place to replicate the care you give to customers is key. You can’t assume your team that you are building around you will just know how to replicate you and the value you bring, so make a way for it to be explicitly understood and reward those who keep to that model.
If you are a woman running a business in the Greater Manchester area that is working through these dilemmas and other business growth pains, our Excelerate Labs team may be able to help.
Part funded by European Regional Devleopment Fund Excelerate Labs can link you with a local adviser to explore growth strategy and help you to get all your ducks in a row.
Contact excleratelabs@thewo.org.uk for more information.
