Your business success story

Reading and reviewing the HR Special Report this week, I had an epiphany. I hope it won't be an epiphany for you, but it sure was for me.

Managing employees, I've learned, is mostly about what you can do for your employees, not about what they can do for you.

This is a theme that runs through many of the articles in this special report.

Contributor Ana McGary, president of PeopleFirst Enterprises, says one of the biggest mistakes that she sees small- and mid-sized companies make is not continually demonstrating to employees the value of working for them.

Contributor Mike Sperduti, president and CEO of Emerge Sales, shares a mantra his mentor shared with him: “The best way to win in business is to make sure your employees are the best and highest paid in their industry.”

But it's not just about demonstrating your value or paying your employees above-average wages.

As contributors Carrie Robinson and Lisa Wells point out it's also about the little things, like accommodating flexible work schedules and relaxing your business casual dress code to allow for warmer and more comfortable clothing during winter months. Carrie is an HR consultant, and Lisa is director of marketing for UroMed.

In fact, contributor Erika Feinberg says that keeping employees satisfied is such a big part of her job that her official title at ActiveForever is not only CEO but also Chief Happiness Officer.

Of course, the beauty, here, is that if you do all you can for employees, they will do all they can for you, and the rest is a business success story.

Our HR  Special Report will be posted to our website soon. Stay tuned!

Liz Beaulieu