Entrepreneurs with the foresight for long-term success understand that attracting top-shelf talent is only half the battle. Retaining the best possible people and nurturing their individual growth and success is a perpetual endeavor. While dedicating a company’s valuable resources on behalf of its employees may seem fruitless to some, nothing could be further from the truth.
As the founder of Ferrari Energy, Adam Ferrari embraces a leadership style that emphasizes meaningful connections and a work ethic fueled by personal engagement to better understand the stories and needs of his customers as well as his employees. Consequently, he advocates for business owners to invest in the good people that keep the ship afloat.
Below, Mr. Ferrari shares seven ways entrepreneurs can elevate their organization to help employees become better workers.
1. Environment
While open office plans are all the craze, they may not make sense for all companies, especially if you evaluate it from each employee’s unique work style. Certain people thrive in social office settings, while others feel distracted and annoyed. What’s more important than a trendy layout or free sparkling water, is an environment where employees feel safe and relaxed. Stress can be a motivator and yield results but is overall unhealthy and shortsighted. After all, you hired an individual not only for their talent but their personality as well, so why not cater to both?
2. Autonomy
Employees aren’t robots and, therefore, should be given the opportunity to showcase their creative problem-solving skills and knack for extra responsibility. A little autonomy goes a long way in creating genuine trust between the boss and the worker—the end result: improved morale and a more motivated workforce.
3. Education
You typically hire an individual for a particular set of skills to fill a void in your company. However, it’s critical to learn about the interests and underdeveloped talents of your employees as well. Either through in-house training or an external education program, you can nurture the proficiency of your personnel. As a result, the organization’s portfolio is bolstered in tandem with the workforce’s academic advancement.
4. Appreciation
In reality, leadership positions and promotions are limited depending on the size of the company and, as such, are rewarded to a mere few. That being said, this does not mean that management should disregard the hard work of everyone else. Employees are human beings with emotions and want to feel that they’re adding value to the success of the business. To boost performance, provide positive feedback often.
5. Transparency
Employees can recognize when they’re being misled or kept in the dark. Instead, be clear and concise about your expectations and vision for the company. People react to honesty, coupled with vigor and passion.
6. Feedback
Encourage employees to provide constructive feedback without fear of retaliation from upper management. Naturally, not all suggestions will make sense, but make it a habit to implement feedback and changes where applicable.
7. Support
Put people first. Employees who know that their boss respects and supports them will value loyalty and take pride in their work. The relationship between employer and employee is unique and complex. Still, if handled with care and cultivated appropriately, it can serve as a strong bedrock for the venture as a whole.
About Adam Ferrari:
Adam Ferrari is an accomplished petroleum engineer and is the founder of a private oil and gas company, Ferrari Energy. Throughout various roles in the oil and gas industry, Adam was inspired to learn more about property rights and the inner workings of petroleum exploration and extraction. After gaining expertise in the energy sector Adam obtained knowledge of the financial industry through his time at an investment banking firm. He then pivoted to bootstrapping his own business, Ferrari Energy, from the ground up as he blended his knowledge of energy and finance together.
