Manage employees of a small business

SMALL businesses often struggle because the business owner tries to do everything. But to grow, the business will need to hire people and manage them in a way that ensures the work is done well and the employees feel they are part of a team.

Sandra Swanepoel, the MD of payroll company Sage HR & Payroll, says people can learn how to be good managers — even if the skills do not come naturally to them.

She has the following advice on managing people in small businesses:

Delegation is crucial for the business to grow and for the owner to stay sane. “The first and sometimes hardest people-management lesson for a small-business owner to learn is to delegate work to the team.”

Get to grips with the Labour Relations Act and understand your rights and the rights of your workers. “Entrepreneurs often lack patience with paperwork and compliance, but it’s essential to understand labour law if you want to run a harmonious and productive workplace.”

Be consistent and professional rather than familiar in your treatment of staff members. It can be tempting to treat your employees as if they were friends or family, but this can become tricky if you need to correct someone’s behaviour.

Be a good and concise communicator. Make sure everyone knows what they are expected to do and provide regular, constructive feedback.

It is hard not to have your biases and to connect better with some members of your team more than others. Try to be fair, so no one feels singled out. — Margaret Harris