Watching your company grow can be both exhilarating and terrifying. You enjoy the revenue, but also worry about keeping up with the demand. And what about your staff, especially when it grows so large that you’re in danger of forgetting people's names? How can you be certain your people are getting what they need to do their jobs well?
Pay attention. It’s easy to focus on your own work when you have a large and able staff supporting you. But if you neglect your people for too long, you could be in trouble. It’s important to pay attention to how your people are doing. Are they overtaxed — consistently working long hours and/or taking work home? Are you articulating the company’s direction in a way they understand?
Learn how to tolerate growing pains. Before you can withstand the pangs of growth, you must ask yourself questions like, “Is my company ready for expansion?” “How can I prepare my employees for growth?” “What kinds of problems do I foresee, and do I have adequate resources to handle them properly?” Accommodating growth doesn’t occur overnight; you must become comfortable with the process of managing your growth.
Implement a solid system for performance appraisals. No matter how skillful your staff may be, you must always provide a mechanism for employee evaluations. With a small staff it’s easier to conduct informal reviews, but as you add more people, this task becomes more challenging. Do yourself and your employees a favor by putting into practice an appraisal system that’s right for your company — one that truly facilitates understanding between you and your employees. Consider adding peer reviews and self-reviews to your mix.
