Being a successful startup founder is more than just starting a new enterprise. It entails having the right business mindset, determination to succeed, and resilience to face challenges and difficulties. An entrepreneur needs to have a full grasp of the nitty-gritty of the business such as business management skills, employee and client management skills, financial discipline, and the ability to identify business opportunities and threats.

Effective workforce management is an integral business management process that must be in place to maintain a productive workforce and ensure optimal performance for the business. A startup might not be able to have all the business management processes immediately upon starting up but having a vibrant and efficient workforce is pertinent at the initialization stage. Below are effective ways of ensuring a healthy and vibrant workforce for every startup.

Hire people with the right skills

Success starts by hiring people with the relevant skills and proficiency in the different areas of the business needs — and then giving them the enabling environment. Thus, ensuring optimal performance of each employee and the best individual and overall output.

Having a workforce with the relevant skill set will ensure efficient and effective performance and create the needed level of business professionalism. When amateurs are handling tasks, it will negatively impact the level of product or service to clients and achieving the business goals.

Also, it is ideal to avoid hiring multiple employees with the exact expertise and skill set to curb redundancy, unhealthy rivalry, and a clash of interests. The feeling of being unique and invaluable creates motivation.

Build a company behavior rather than individual behavior

Organizational culture and behavior are two distinct but interrelated concepts. Organizational behavior is simply the manner employees in an organization act as a result of the organization’s culture, whereas organizational culture refers to the shared values and beliefs that shape and guides the employees' behaviors, perceptions, understanding, and attitude to work. This culture and behavior can reflect in the communication approach of the management to the workers. An organizational culture that makes the manager inaccessible to the employees will likely make the workers not feel the impact of his leadership.

The organizational culture and behavior can also reflect in the operational procedure of the business. If the business operation framework encourages team player and cohesion, it will certainly be different from an organization where individuality is emphasized.

Also, an organization with good employee welfare culture will elicit more motivation and work satisfaction amongst the employees than vice versa.

Build a conducive and accommodating environment

Not everyone has the same work ideologies, interests, and goals. It is pertinent for managers to identify the right team that shares similar ideologies and interests with you. An employee who dislikes an onsite 9 to 5 office setting will work more efficiently than an individual who values remote or freelance work. Not all employees like an office with a stereotyped work format or wearing office uniforms to work daily. Even though the process that led to the outcome is equally important, it's ideal to focus on the expected profitable result. Creating a work environment that can accommodate different work patterns that brings the desired outcome will give room for employees to put in their best.

Promote an ownership mindset

Handing independent responsibilities to team members in their area of competence and allowing them to bring in their creativity and adroitness will create a feeling of ownership. With this feeling, the employees will feel more motivated, committed, and focused on the organization's goals and success. They will see their job and the company as their own rather than just an ordinary worker.

Schedule well-being time

Employee burnout negatively impacts individual performance and overall business performance. Some workaholics are buried deep in their work without paying adequate concern to their overall well-being. Some do fail to take time off. Managers and business owners should pay close attention to employees' work schedules and ensure that employees get adequate time to relax and have some time outside of work to focus on personal issues, hobbies, relationships, and non-work-related activities. A healthy and mentally stable team creates the desired outcome.

Reward good work

Adequate remuneration, work performance incentives, awards, and other forms of acknowledging and rewarding success should not be left out. Plans should be in place to record performances, to recognize, and reward outstanding performances. Such practice instills motivation, more commitment, and the feeling of job satisfaction.

Develop employees

Too much stereotype creates boredom, dissatisfaction, and decreased performance. Training and re-training the employees will help bring in new ideas, increase their skills and competence, and ensure improved work processes. Offering your team the opportunity to acquire more knowledge will create motivation and job satisfaction.

Managers should have regular check-ins to assess the employees to identify the areas of incompetence, weakness, and failures to schedule the adequate training they need to turn around their fortunes.

Customer focus

The business environment is now highly competitive and has given the customers lots of good quality alternatives to make their choice. A dissatisfied client can quickly switch brands, whereas a delighted client will go for repeat purchases and create more awareness for a brand.

Business owners or managers should imbibe the mindset of the 'customer is king' to their employees. Your team needs to be always conscious of this and tailor all their activities towards meeting the expectations and needs of the customers.

First, the employees should have adequate knowledge of all the clients, products, and services and offer customers all the information they need to make timely decisions when due. Employees should be proactive in identifying and offering solutions to problems and challenges and offering the best and most satisfying solutions and purchase experience.

In conclusion, startup entrepreneurs should always try to learn, re-learn and invent effective strategies they need for business growth, sustenance, and success.