How to Run Your Business with Compassion

Offer paid vacation., Offer paid family leave., Give raises., Develop personal relationships with your employees., Treat your employees.

5 Steps 4 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Offer paid vacation.

    After working so many hard, long hours, it’s important to reward your employees by giving them some rest and relaxation.

    Show your employees how compassionate you are by giving them paid leave.The most compassionate thing to do is to provide fully paid leave.

    But if you can’t afford it, offer to pay employees during their vacation hours at some fraction of their regular wages – for instance, half or two-thirds of their normal salary.

    The amount of vacation time you allow employees to take depends on the size of your staff and schedule of your business.

    For instance, if your staff is quite large, you’ll be able to be more flexible than a smaller business with a lean staff.

    Offering paid vacation on holidays is especially appreciated.
  2. Step 2: Offer paid family leave.

    Nothing is more significant in one’s life than the birth or adoption of a new child.

    Show your employees you understand the importance of their new family member by granting paid family leave.

    Offering paid family leave allows your employees to enjoy their new child’s first weeks of life without fretting that they have to get back to work right away in order to avoid personal bankruptcy.The duration of the paid family leave you provide depends on your level of compassion.

    If you feel very compassionate, you could grant six weeks or more of paid family leave.

    If you’re less compassionate – or if your business cannot long suffer the loss of a valued and productive staff member – you might limit paid family leave to three or four weeks.

    The most compassionate way to offer paid family leave is to pay your employees their full average salary while they are on leave.

    However, you might also choose to offer some fraction of the employee’s salary while they are on leave – for instance, 75% or 50% of their normal wages . , Nothing shows appreciation like an increased salary.

    Raises remind your workers that you value their commitment and dedication to the business.

    Reward people who work for you with a generous raise at least once each year.If you are very compassionate, you could give raises twice each year.

    Don’t be stingy with your raises.

    Offer at least $0.25 per raise, and give more for people who have shown exceptional levels of commitment and hard work.

    To decide how much a certain worker deserves, ask yourself how effective they are.

    Give the biggest raises to employees who missed the fewest days of work, worked the longest hours, and have produced the greatest number of sales for your business. , If your employees get to know you, and you get to know them, you’ll be able to better express and demonstrate your compassion.

    Listen with interest to what your employees have to say.

    Thank them for coming to you with concerns and problems.

    Invite them to speak frankly with you when they have an issue you might want to know about.Be transparent and clue your workers in to changes that you intend to make.

    For instance, if you intend to sell your business or bring on new management, let them know, and invite them to ask questions.

    Make small talk with your workers to better understand their lives and struggles.

    Ask them, for instance, “How is your wife/husband?” or “How are your children?” Speak up if any of your workers seem “off” or blue.

    For instance, ask, “Is everything alright? You seem a bit down.” This shows a great deal of compassion.

    Thank your workers for their labor at the end of their shift.

    Say, “Thank you for your hard work.

    I truly appreciate all that you do.” Practice humility.

    Always give your workers their due when your business is successful.

    Tell them, “This business is successful because of you and your coworkers.” , There are lots of small things you can do for your employees to show you care about them.

    For instance, have lunch catered once or twice each week.

    Alternately, take your workers out for drinks after work to show them you care.

    You could also select a certain weekend date where you and your team could go see a play or movie together.

    Find activities or occasions where you can practice compassion towards your employees and also bond with them.
  3. Step 3: Give raises.

  4. Step 4: Develop personal relationships with your employees.

  5. Step 5: Treat your employees.

Detailed Guide

After working so many hard, long hours, it’s important to reward your employees by giving them some rest and relaxation.

Show your employees how compassionate you are by giving them paid leave.The most compassionate thing to do is to provide fully paid leave.

But if you can’t afford it, offer to pay employees during their vacation hours at some fraction of their regular wages – for instance, half or two-thirds of their normal salary.

The amount of vacation time you allow employees to take depends on the size of your staff and schedule of your business.

For instance, if your staff is quite large, you’ll be able to be more flexible than a smaller business with a lean staff.

Offering paid vacation on holidays is especially appreciated.

Nothing is more significant in one’s life than the birth or adoption of a new child.

Show your employees you understand the importance of their new family member by granting paid family leave.

Offering paid family leave allows your employees to enjoy their new child’s first weeks of life without fretting that they have to get back to work right away in order to avoid personal bankruptcy.The duration of the paid family leave you provide depends on your level of compassion.

If you feel very compassionate, you could grant six weeks or more of paid family leave.

If you’re less compassionate – or if your business cannot long suffer the loss of a valued and productive staff member – you might limit paid family leave to three or four weeks.

The most compassionate way to offer paid family leave is to pay your employees their full average salary while they are on leave.

However, you might also choose to offer some fraction of the employee’s salary while they are on leave – for instance, 75% or 50% of their normal wages . , Nothing shows appreciation like an increased salary.

Raises remind your workers that you value their commitment and dedication to the business.

Reward people who work for you with a generous raise at least once each year.If you are very compassionate, you could give raises twice each year.

Don’t be stingy with your raises.

Offer at least $0.25 per raise, and give more for people who have shown exceptional levels of commitment and hard work.

To decide how much a certain worker deserves, ask yourself how effective they are.

Give the biggest raises to employees who missed the fewest days of work, worked the longest hours, and have produced the greatest number of sales for your business. , If your employees get to know you, and you get to know them, you’ll be able to better express and demonstrate your compassion.

Listen with interest to what your employees have to say.

Thank them for coming to you with concerns and problems.

Invite them to speak frankly with you when they have an issue you might want to know about.Be transparent and clue your workers in to changes that you intend to make.

For instance, if you intend to sell your business or bring on new management, let them know, and invite them to ask questions.

Make small talk with your workers to better understand their lives and struggles.

Ask them, for instance, “How is your wife/husband?” or “How are your children?” Speak up if any of your workers seem “off” or blue.

For instance, ask, “Is everything alright? You seem a bit down.” This shows a great deal of compassion.

Thank your workers for their labor at the end of their shift.

Say, “Thank you for your hard work.

I truly appreciate all that you do.” Practice humility.

Always give your workers their due when your business is successful.

Tell them, “This business is successful because of you and your coworkers.” , There are lots of small things you can do for your employees to show you care about them.

For instance, have lunch catered once or twice each week.

Alternately, take your workers out for drinks after work to show them you care.

You could also select a certain weekend date where you and your team could go see a play or movie together.

Find activities or occasions where you can practice compassion towards your employees and also bond with them.

About the Author

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Aaron Foster

A passionate writer with expertise in DIY projects topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.

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