Kelly Rice [00:00:00]:
Another great way to invest and prioritize your employees wellness is to encourage them to take time for self care, even during work hours. Encourage them to take regular breaks, to go for walks, to go grab coffee, work out during lunch or whatever they need, and encourage them to actually use their vacation time to care for themselves. Giving this kind of flexibility can help reduce stress and enhance overall wellness. Finding time away from work is extremely important for your work life balance. Hey there. You're listening to to the Priority Pursuit podcast, a podcast dedicated to helping small business owners and leaders define, maintain, and.
Kelly Rice [00:00:37]:
Pursue both their personal and business priorities.
Kelly Rice [00:00:40]:
So they can build lives and businesses they love. I'm your host, Kelly Rice, and before.
Kelly Rice [00:00:44]:
We dive into today's discussion, I want to acknowledge and encourage you to actually.
Kelly Rice [00:00:51]:
Acknowledge the vital role that your employees.
Kelly Rice [00:00:54]:
Like, whether they are full time or part time or contractors, what how they.
Kelly Rice [00:00:59]:
Play in the success of your business. So while so many of us start businesses as like one man or one woman shows, the fact of the matter is, is that you can only go so far on your own. And while there's nothing wrong with keeping.
Kelly Rice [00:01:13]:
Your business small, eventually you're probably going.
Kelly Rice [00:01:16]:
To find that you can't or you don't want to do everything all on your own. So whether you want to take your business to the next level or you simply don't want to work as much, you're going to need to build some sort of support team. So that said, hiring a team comes with challenges for small businesses.
Kelly Rice [00:01:34]:
And arguably the biggest challenge is how.
Kelly Rice [00:01:38]:
To handle benefit packages. So, small businesses often aren't able to offer traditional benefits due to the factors such as high cost, complex regulations, and just the limited offerings that benefit providers can actually give us small business owners. And these challenges can make it difficult for us to compete with larger employers.
Kelly Rice [00:02:01]:
Which, I mean, we know it can.
Kelly Rice [00:02:04]:
Hinder our ability to attract and retain those great employees when we can't match benefits packages and those types of things. So while it may be not possible for you to offer your team traditional benefits like health insurance or 401 ks, this doesn't mean that you can't provide your team with benefits. So with this in mind, in today's episode, I want to discuss seven ways you can serve your team well outside of benefits packages, so that you can attract and retain great employees and do right by your people who are helping your business grow and hopefully taking things off of your plate. Okay, so while you may not be able to offer traditional benefits to your team, you might be able to offer something they appreciate even more which is flexible work arrangements. Now, this is going to look different for every business, but flexible work arrangements might include remote work options compressing the work week, you know, maybe down to like four days or even the option of flex time. So again, this is going to look different for every business. But in case having some examples helps, I want to give you kind of like the Treefrog team, how we're flexible in a few different ways. So, first, while we do have an office in Lafayette, Indiana, we have employees who work remotely throughout the country.
Kelly Rice [00:03:22]:
And our local staff knows that they are more than welcome to work from home, a coffee shop, or from wherever, you know, out of the office location that is best for them. Heck, we've even had our employees work from other countries if they happen to be traveling or airports trying to catch up on some things. So it's pretty. It's very flexible over here. Also, we're closed on Fridays, meaning our team only works four days per week. Now, granted, there are four longer days because we start at 07:30 a.m. And we end at 05:00 p.m. But it's what the team actually wanted, and they extremely productive because we know that we only have four days to get all of this work done.
Kelly Rice [00:04:04]:
So the other thing that we do.
Kelly Rice [00:04:05]:
Is we give our team flex time, meaning they can change their work hours as long as everything gets done by its due date. So basically, as long as all the tasks are completed well, we want to make sure that our team has as much flexibility as they need to do their jobs well and have lives that.
Kelly Rice [00:04:25]:
Take care of themselves, serve their loved ones outside the office.
Kelly Rice [00:04:29]:
Right. Because how many times do especially moms or dads need to drop their kids off at school or be home when.
Kelly Rice [00:04:35]:
They get off the bus, be in.
Kelly Rice [00:04:37]:
An event or, you know, something needs repaired, you know, all of the things, schedule doctors visits, personal appointments, all of these types of things that I think in a traditional setting, kind of trap people from the eight to five aspect of things. And it doesn't give parents or people the opportunity to chaperone field trips or coach sports or take breaks when they need them or, or what, whatever it is. So while I think it's safe to say that people can always value flexibility in the workplace after 2020, really, this is arguably now one of the more important things than ever for people. In fact, according to a study conducted by people ready, 73% of respondents say that they would turn down their dream job if another position offered more flexibility. So, as if we didn't naturally already know this. This data proves that flexibility is one of the most important factors to employees. And as a result, if you want to attract and keep great team members, one of the kindest and most strategic things that you can do is offer them flexible work schedules. Now, I want to be fair.
Kelly Rice [00:05:41]:
As a marketing agency, almost everything our team does is like behind a computer. And as a result, we can offer a lot of flexibility. And this may not be the case for your business. So, while you might have to get creative with some of these things, I can almost promise you that if you can figure out ways to give your employees the flexibility that they need and to do their jobs well, they will thank you for it and they will be able to be more present in their personal lives, which actually will make them more productive in their professional lives. And then, speaking of flexibility, another way that you can serve your employees well is by offering paid time off. Now, at the time of this recording, the average us employee receives eleven paid vacation days per year. So with this in mind, if you aren't in place to offer your employees traditional benefits, I highly recommend providing more than this average. And this is going to help your team feel valued and help you compete with bigger businesses when talented employees are seeking new jobs.
Kelly Rice [00:06:44]:
So additionally, I also recommend giving your team scheduled breaks, such as break during the holidays. So, for example, at Treefrog, our team members receive 20 paid vacation days per year. Plus, we take the week of July 4 off, and we are also closed for two weeks during the winter holidays. And this is all in addition to being closed on Fridays. Now, I know you might be thinking, that's a lot of time off, and I can't afford to pay people, you know, to take that much time off. However, here's the thing. Studies show that paid time off actually results in increased productivity, higher retention rates and improved morale. Basically, when your employees take off, you're much more likely to receive their best work.
Kelly Rice [00:07:29]:
They're more likely to stay and enjoy their jobs.
Kelly Rice [00:07:32]:
So, yes, paid time off is definitely an investment. But it's an investment where both you and your employees win.
Kelly Rice [00:07:39]:
Now, I know for us, in a creative environment, the team needs that time.
Kelly Rice [00:07:45]:
To kind of break away, to regather, to do those types of things. And again, I know that every business is different. So just think about how this could apply to your business. Specifically, how can you look at giving flexibility and, you know, paid time off?
Natalie Franke [00:08:01]:
What would you do with an extra 45 minutes every workday? That would save you 16 hours a month or roughly eight days days a year. And over the course of your career. We're talking about over one year of your life. Saved all that time back? Well, many independent business owners spend far more than 45 minutes a day on administrative tasks, and with honeybook, you can get that time back and then some. Honeybook lets you easily manage projects, contracts, invoices, scheduling and client communication, saving you time and allowing you to better serve your clients. For a discount on your first year of honeybook, visit honeybook.com and subscribe with the code priority pursuit. 45 minutes a day adds up quickly. Use it to focus on what matters most.
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Many small businesses don't have an effective marketing strategy, and because of this, they try one tactic after another without seeing results. This not only prevents consistent business growth, it makes managing marketing efforts more difficult.
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Than it should be.
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As a marketing agency for small businesses, we understand how frustrating it can be when hard work doesn't deliver the results that you want. Because of this, Treefrog has developed a proven four step marketing system that will help any small business grow. On our website, you can also schedule a 30 minutes discovery call to discuss working with Treefrog to build a marketing strategy that will allow your small business to finally see the growth you've been.
Kelly Rice [00:09:23]:
Working so hard to achieve. In addition to offering flexibility and paid time off, another great way that you can care for your team is to provide opportunities for professional development. And to give a few examples, you might consider implementing programs like workshops or seminars or online courses, training programs, or even just scheduled time for research. You could even consider investing in skills building resources like online memberships, subscriptions to industry publications, or any kind of educational material that enable continuous learning. You could also design a mentorship program where you peer employees with experienced mentors either like within like within your organization or outside of it. And this is a really great one because it gives people so much different perspective when they get to work with others, whether it's inside or even outside of their organization. Or you could prioritize sending team members to a conference and networking events so.
Kelly Rice [00:10:21]:
That they can build professional connections.
Kelly Rice [00:10:24]:
They can further their knowledge, and they can learn new ideas that benefit both your business and their careers.
Kelly Rice [00:10:30]:
Long term, there are so many options.
Kelly Rice [00:10:32]:
Especially because so many professionals can be developed online now.
Kelly Rice [00:10:38]:
There are so many opportunities and organizations.
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And workshops and all of those types.
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Of things that really limits the amount.
Kelly Rice [00:10:44]:
Of travel time that an employer would actually have to pay for these types of things. So in case this helps you brainstorm options for your team, at Treefrog, we prioritize professional development in a couple ways. First, once a month, our entire teams dedicate 2 hours to research. This isn't the only time that we do research, but from ten to noon on the second Wednesday of the month, our entire team stops doing client work and uses those blocked 2 hours to further research something in our industry or.
Kelly Rice [00:11:13]:
A tool or tactic that they want.
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To learn more about. Then they then on the following Wednesday, we report our findings and determine if we need to make any changes to our services or systems based on what they have found or what they have researched. So next, we invest in online training, such as online courses, memberships and certifications.
Kelly Rice [00:11:34]:
That are specific to our industry and.
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Give our team members time to complete these trainings. And we also send some team members to conferences when they align with our goals.
Kelly Rice [00:11:44]:
Now, all of these professional development options.
Kelly Rice [00:11:47]:
Obviously giving team members time to research simply cost time. Online trainings can vary pretty dramatically in price and conferences are usually a big.
Kelly Rice [00:11:56]:
Investment as travel expenses are also likely.
Kelly Rice [00:11:59]:
Needed to be covered. However, regardless of your professional budget, I promise you that if you can figure something out, it will benefit both you and your teams. And you need to do so. Because investing in your professional development, you not only empower your employees to expand their skills and knowledge, you also demonstrate your commitment to their long term success and fulfillment they find in their roles. And remember, morale is key to keeping employees, especially loyal employees, wanting to stay.
Kelly Rice [00:12:32]:
So all of these things really are.
Kelly Rice [00:12:35]:
About helping your employees enjoy where they work, helping build them professionally, and allowing them the freedom to build their personal lives as well. So while you're offering your employees health insurance and, you know, traditional 401 ks and all of that might not be in the cards at the moment, it doesn't mean that you can invest in their physical or their mental health. With this in mind, something else you might consider to serve your employees well is implementing wellness initiatives such as gym memberships or fitness stipends, where you can simply provide financial assistance for gym membership, fitness classes, or like other wellness activities that promote physical health.
Kelly Rice [00:13:15]:
Right?
Kelly Rice [00:13:16]:
Because moving is good. It helps clear the mind. It helps clear the body. Those things are important. So we talked about flexibility for but another great way to invest in and prioritize your employees wellness is to encourage them to take time for self care, even during work hours, encourage them to take regular breaks, to go for walks, to go grab coffee, workout during lunch or whatever they need, and encourage them to actually use their vacation time to care for themselves. Giving this kind of flexibility can help reduce stress and enhance overall wellness. And you know that we talk about this usually a lot on the podcast. But finding time away from work is extremely important for your work life balance.
Kelly Rice [00:13:58]:
And I know we talk about that in several episodes, but it is really, really important because as business owners, I know what we tend to do is we tend to work when we're on.
Kelly Rice [00:14:08]:
Break, and we want to make sure.
Kelly Rice [00:14:09]:
That that our employees are taking time for themselves because we want to make sure that we're caring for them for their wellness. As business owners, I think we have a different mindset and mentality than some of our employees because, you know, we're so vested in this. We have tremendous employees that work with us, but their mental health and time away is so important. So another way that you can care for your team's wellness could include organizing wellness challenges, especially for those that are competitive within your office. I know at Treefrog we have several of those. So, for example, you might put together a compliment competition that focuses on healthy habits, such as, you know, steps or hydration or something else. You know, like that. Another thing that you can do is to simply put together a list of wellness resources for your team.
Kelly Rice [00:14:57]:
This could include mental health resources like counseling services, mental health hotlines, or mindfulness programs to support their mental well being. And this list could also include a list of local gyms or options for caring for their physical health. This might seem simple, but taking the time to put the list together will certainly make your employees feel cared for and serve as a great resource for them. So again, this is going to look different for every single business. But prioritizing employee wellness not only enhances individual health and happiness, it also contributes to a positive work culture and improves productivity. So while physical and mental wellness are important, financial wellness is also a critical aspect of overall well being and can significantly impact employees stress levels and job satisfaction. Now, you might not be in the place where you can offer referral, one or other traditional financial benefits. However, you can certainly provide resources and support for financial planning and management.
Kelly Rice [00:16:02]:
For example, you can offer financial planning workshops where you simply invite a financial planner to talk to your team about budgeting, saving, investing and or retirement planning. And then you can give them opportunities to meet individually with the financial advisor or planners to address their specific financial goals and concerns. Basically, a great way to serve your team and to help them financially plan for their future is simply to connect them with a great financial advisor. Typically, financial advisors aren't going to charge you anything for these types of workshop in meetings because you're giving them the opportunity to gain more clients. And as a result, everyone wins. And by doing this, you're in, you empower your employees to make informed financial decisions, which reduce financial stress. They're able to work toward their long term financial goals, and you'll be able to help them see that they don't have to have a traditional benefit such as a be successful. Okay.
Kelly Rice [00:17:00]:
Another way you can show your employees appreciation is to provide them with access to company resources and discounts on products or services.
Kelly Rice [00:17:10]:
And this is also going to look.
Kelly Rice [00:17:11]:
Different for every business. But you might consider implementing employee discounts or pricing for your team and their family members. For example, if you own an auto detailing company, this might look like two free details a year or a certain percentage off every service. Or if you own a gym, you might offer your instructors a free membership and or discounts on your merchandise. Now, these kinds of discounts aren't going to make sense for every small business, so something else you could do is to give your team access to company resources. So, for example, if you own a plumbing company, you might give your team members permission to use the tools that you have purchased for them to fix their own plumbing issues. Or if your services, like ours, are digital, you might let your team use software or programs for their personal projects. By offering discounts on products or services.
Kelly Rice [00:17:59]:
Or simply letting your team use your resources to their advantage, you can reward.
Kelly Rice [00:18:04]:
Your employees and give them opportunities to engage with your brand and simply show them that you care and that you want to be able to serve them.
Kelly Rice [00:18:14]:
So I know this episode is getting.
Kelly Rice [00:18:15]:
A little bit long and I'm throwing a ton of information in here. But last but not least, while you may not be financially able to offer your team traditional benefits, that doesn't mean.
Kelly Rice [00:18:24]:
That you can't further benefit them financially.
Kelly Rice [00:18:28]:
And reward them for their hard work for. So like for example, implementing a profit sharing program can be very powerful way.
Kelly Rice [00:18:36]:
To serve your team well, to align.
Kelly Rice [00:18:38]:
Your team's interest with the success of your business, and to help your employees see and recognize that their contributions to your company's growth are valuable and worth it to them. So basically, by sharing a portion of your company's profits with your employees, you can create a sense of ownership and shared access that motivates your team to perform at their best. Now, I'm not going to get really deep into profit sharing because we actually just did an episode a few weeks ago where Laura Cirillo Benedict of Cirillo Plumbing came on the show and she shared how she implemented a profit sharing program for her team and how you can do the same. So if you're interested in learning more, I want to highly encourage you to go back and listen to episode 140. You can find this episode in the link in the show notes at priority pursuit.com or wherever you listen to podcast. So as we wrap up this episode, I want to remind you once again that your employees are your most valuable asset. While small businesses may face challenges in providing traditional benefit packages, this doesn't mean you can't serve your team well.
Kelly Rice [00:19:41]:
You might need to be creative, but there are numerous ways that you can.
Kelly Rice [00:19:45]:
Serve your team and demonstrate your commitment to their well being and success. So now remember, investing in your employees not only fosters a positive work environment, also enhances productivity and strengthens loyalty and retention. And all of these things are going to benefit your business and help you reach your business goals. So whether you have or someday have a team of full time employees, part time employees, or even contractors, be sure to determine systems and processes that allow them to see and experience how grateful you are for them. And on that note, thank you for tuning in to another episode of Priority Pursuit. If you enjoyed this episode, we hope that you'll take a moment to share it with your small business friends to leave us a review on Apple Podcast, and that you'll join us next week for even more marketing boundary and priority driven tactics you can use to build a small business and life that you love.
