NFIB

Flexibility Pays
03/ 21/ 2003

by Vicki Gerson

An economic downturn isn't only discouraging to you, the business owner--it's discouraging to your sales and marketing staff as well. What can you do to help keep your employees motivated during tough times?

The answer is flexibility. Flexibility is the key to helping your sales and marketing staff and other employees stay motivated and working hard when the business hits a soft spot.

Here are four flexibility suggestions you may want to consider for your business.

Offer flexible compensation.

Employees resent working hard and knowing that an employee who doesn't is getting paid the same amount. Consider performance-based compensation tied to net results. The employee who can figure out how to get sales in a slow economy deserves to be rewarded.

For example, your business sells cleaning supplies, and one salesperson wants to set up appointments with school districts to see if they will purchase supplies from your company. After getting your approval, he receives a couple of contracts. This person should be rewarded for his efforts.

Keep a flexible management style.

Consider adopting flextime policies if they could work for your business. Employees appreciate being able to pick the hours that work best for them. And remember that emergencies and sickness happen--be understanding when your employees miss work now and then.

Encourage flexible advancement.

While adhering to advancement models can save you from accusations of "playing favorites," it still pays to let your employees know you want to hear from them if they feel they can do more for the company.

For example, you have a good salesperson who is just covering Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. Your Midwest regional sales manager is retiring, and this salesperson comes to you and says she can do the job. Let her discuss with you why she is the right person for the position. If you have doubts, consider a trial period allowing her to prove herself.

Allow flexible training.

There are many ways to provide good training to employees. All employees should not be sent to a room and told to watch the same video presentation. One employee may benefit from shadowing a more experienced salesperson on sales calls. Another may see the benefit of attending a free workshop on contact management software to learn how to keep track of his customers better and respond to their needs. Encourage your employees to bring training suggestions to you.

If you follow these recommendations, your employees will feel comfortable in the work environment. They will know their ideas are welcome, and that excelling at their job can benefit them financially. The end result will be less employee turnover, and a better bottom line for your business.

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