The past few years have been a whirlwind for businesses everywhere. The pandemic forced many companies to close their doors, while others saw their employees leave in record numbers. For some, it was a chance to reflect on their careers and seek opportunities that aligned better with their passions, values, or well-being. Whatever the reason, employee turnover has become a pressing challenge for businesses — especially small businesses, where the loss of even one team member can have a profound impact. If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably felt this pain. But what if I told you that preventing an employee from leaving could save you up to twice their annual salary? Yes, you read that right. Keeping a valued employee isn’t just about avoiding the hassle of finding a replacement — it’s a smart financial decision that directly impacts your bottom line. Why Turnover Costs So Much Let’s break it down with a real-world scenario: Sally is your IT director, earning $100,000 a...
As a small business owner, you know that effective management is key to scaling your operations and maintaining employee satisfaction. But when it comes to leadership, how much oversight is too much ? I recently had an eye-opening discussion with a leadership team in a call center, and it brought the question of "management oversight" to the forefront. The conversation revolved around giving the customer retention team the autonomy to set up voicemails for a more personalized customer experience. The surprising part? The level of oversight the leadership team demanded to ensure the voicemails met their standards. This is what I call the "foreground management" model, or what’s often referred to as "top-down leadership." In this blog post, I’ll dive into the difference between foreground and background management and why knowing when to pull back from micromanaging can be a game changer for your small business. If you're running a business, learning h...