Finding the right employees is a big challenge for any business owner. Having dedicated and committed workers is one of the keys to success of an enterprise. Whether it's a big corporation, medium sized company or small business, the type of employees you hire can make or break the business.
So entrepreneurs who want to succeed must take the time and effort to look for workers whose hearts and souls are ready to be invested in the company where they are employed. It's not just about filling up positions, it's about finding people who will invest in the company’s growth and future.
But it's not always easy to find such workers or employees who are 100% committed and dedicated to the job. Employees quit or leave without notice to their employers and leave them in a state of confusion and frustration. This can happen even at critical times when the enterprise is rushing to meet customer demands. In these situations the employer is left in a tight spot, struggling to fulfill customer orders and maintain quality standards.
These sudden departures can result in big profit loss and damage the enterprise’s reputation and potentially erode customer trust. When customers can’t rely on a business to deliver consistently, they will look elsewhere for their needs.
A perfect example of this is my niece who runs a fashion design outfit in Lagos, Nigeria. Her small business has grown to the point where she needs more hands to work with her to meet customer demands. But she has always found herself in a continuous search for workers as each batch of employees she hires leave after just a few months of working with her.
These experiences have resulted in profit loss and in some ways eroded customer trust. When I talked to her over the phone, I asked her if she is paying her employees well enough. She said they are paid on a “earn as you work” basis. I told her that’s a fair way of paying in such a business.
But her main problem was that most of the people she employed never stayed more than 3 months and she needed workers who would be committed and stay with her for a long time. I told her she needs to work on her relationship with her employees because knowing how your employees feel about their job and overall well being goes a long way in building commitment to their work.
Also as a fashion designer it’s important to have a team of trainees who can become experts in the job and potentially stay with the business for a long time without a formal salary contract. This was my last advice to her on how to solve the problem of worker commitment in her fashion design outfit.
This issue is not just about finding committed employees in the fashion industry, it’s a matter of life and death for any business. My niece’s situation is common among small fashion businesses where the personal touch and consistency is the key differentiator in a competitive market.
For a fashion designer having employees who understand the brand, can maintain quality standards and build relationships with clients is priceless. When workers leave frequently it’s not just about the time and resources spent on training new staff. It’s also about maintaining the consistency of designs, quality of craftsmanship and the personal touch clients expect.
In my niece’s case implementing a trainee program could be a game changer. By investing in training young aspiring fashion designers she could have a pool of skilled workers who understand her brand from the ground up. This has many benefits such as loyalty, skill alignment, cultural fit and long term planning.
What do you think about this matter and my suggestions for solving the problem of having committed workers?