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Startups in Australia: How to Create and Keep a Quality Team
When you are new in business it is very tough to gain a competitive edge, as many new companies emerge on a daily basis. Unfortunately, many of them disappear after some time because they simply can’t cope with the competition. Some of them do break through and take over a segment of the market, and the main reason is a dedicated team who fights for their company. Winter is coming, so startups brace yourselves, because the market is tough and you need the full support of your team. Let’s find out how to create that winning team and keep them working for you.
1. Interview – know what you are looking for
When you start interviewing people, know that many of them will be right for the job. However, you need to pick the right one. Before the interview, think of character traits and skills you would like your employee to possess, and design questions to find out whether the interviewers have what it takes. Everyone has a degree in that field, but what will make them different from others?
Firstly, you are looking for a person who is innovative, and not who likes expressing their ideas. The first step towards improving and growing your business is a good idea, but that’s not just your job, it’s also your team’s job. They should be able to come up with a different solution to any problem and propose that to you.
Also, you need a person who won’t freak out when faced with a problem, but will seek out solutions. You don’t want to have an employee who will do everything according the instructions, but freeze up or panic as soon as an unpredicted problem occurs. You need to ask the right questions in order to get insight into your candidate’s personalities and capabilities.
2. Train your employees
The first rule when hiring people is training them for the position they need to perform. You cannot expect your employees to know what they are be supposed to do and in what way, unless you tell them. Make sure that everyone receives the proper training before they start working on more important and complex projects.
Many companies neglect this part, as they think that if a person has experience and a degree he or she automatically knows the ins and outs of their job. They certainly have knowledge in that field, but they don’t know what will be expected of them at a specific company. Companies differ, and more importantly, their working style isn’t similar at all. Therefore, don’t make the mistake of just throwing your employees into the deep end, with a large pile of projects, and expect them to swim.
3. Team-building activities are a must
Your employees will work together as a unit, so they need to learn how to get along and work efficiently with the other team members. Your employees might be people who are good team players, but every person will be different, so any new team needs a break-in period. The team members need to meet each other and learn how to effectively communicate during working hours. If your team isn’t able to work as a well-oiled machine, your company might sink, but a successful team will get you to the top, and there is no way your startup will become one of the many failed ones.
In order to learn about effective teamwork as a group, you can organize both outdoors and indoor activities. You can make some scavenger hunt, where they need to come up with the solution together. The point of team building activities is to make your employees think like a team, and to use everyone’s particular talents to their fullest extent. However, sometimes team building activities can be just for fun or adding a level of excitement, e.g. like whitewater rafting or an exciting encounter with reptiles. People are usually scared of such things, so why not have fun and face your fears together.
4. Keep your team motivated
Make sure your team really knows what your mission is, and that they’re motivated to accomplish more. They need motivation when they’re at work, so the office should be well-decorated and comfortable for everyone. Also, your employees need to have up-to-date technology if they are to work efficiently. Computers that don’t work well will only lead to a lack of motivation and reduced productivity. Moreover, you need provide your team with certain perks, such as a leisure room, paid lunch once a week, a team’s night out when you’ll have a late start the next day, etc. And, of course, don’t forget to give them the paychecks they deserve. If they are making you good money, their salaries should reflect that fact.
Creating a motivated and skilled team, which strives to do more for the company and help it succeed, should be your primary goal as an entrepreneur. People won’t just come to work for you and start doing everything right or dedicating more time and effort from the start – they need to know why they are fighting for success and why they are coming to the office every morning.
