Most Managers and business owners usually forget to include their employees in their business planing strategies. What they seem to forget is that it is these very people who help make the company move forward, the mere oil that keeps the wheels moving. After all, these are the people you selected to work for your company after rigorous interviewing and undertaking an employment problem solving test and many other examinations.
Employees are involved in every daily happenings when it comes to dealing with clients, and their internal management, so wouldn’t you think that it is these people who have a better insight on how that same company should grow? Possibly bringing in an opinion and vision that upper management don’t necessarily see?
After sitting with and contemplating with my business partners, we found four steps, courtesy of Entrepreneur.com, on how to involve your employees in the business planning process:
1. Ask for their feedback.
Ask each of your employees to identify the three things they think are working best and the three things that are least effective in your business. Brainstorm with them to figure out how your company can do more of what’s working, and fix — or simply stop doing — what’s not serving your business.
2. Have them set goals for the business.
Have your employees establish specific goals for each functional area of your business they are involved in. For example, within marketing, do they have specific goals for the number of leads generated during the year? Does your manufacturing staff have goals for the number of products produced?
3. Build a plan off their ideas.
Develop the business plan using your employees’ input. Once completed, have employees read the plan. Make sure they understand and agree with your strategy. Be open to modifying it if they don’t.
4. Meet and update your goals monthly.
Annual goals are impossible to accomplish unless they are broken down into smaller goals. For example, an annual goal of acquiring 1,200 new customers is overwhelming. But when you break it down to 100 new customers per month or 25 new customers per week, it’s more attainable.
Set goals with your team each month so that when they are accomplished, your company is on track to meet yearly targets. As needed, revise your annual goals up or down based on monthly results.
Great companies have a leader who involves employees in developing their strategy, plans and goals. Do this and your business will thrive.
