Admin User

I have always wondered whether people who work in small businesses behave the same way they do in a big organization in terms of loyalty and order. For example, a business colleague was telling me how a key team member left the company without any warning and has already reported to a new job. Now they have to chase her around to retrieve company equipment. This has happened to us in our business a couple of times, and when it comes to turnover, you can’t keep track.

So, my question again: do employees behave the same way in small businesses as they do in big ones, despite having similar qualifications (e.g., diploma or degree)?

Personally, I don’t think so. There are factors that make some of these big organizations different—e.g., good salary, name prestige, incentives, and security. But today, I want to allude to policies.

Small businesses, because the owner runs the business from his or her head, often lack policies and means of enforcing them. Things move based on what we think on that day as owners. People can’t build familiarity with any process apart from the owner. You are the process, the system, and if you get moody, then the system gets moody. I can assure all of us founders that people are only following the YOU-PROCESS because they have nowhere else to go or simply need the little salary they are getting.

Set up a culture beyond yourself—a mini HR process, from recruitment to onboarding and departure. Make it so efficient that you can replace anyone in any position within three business days, seamlessly.

Lesson 12 – Build a process or policy around how your team is put together.

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