Why
Employees Are Afraid of Working with Start Up Founders and Business owners in
The Digital Transformation Age.
Communication account for one of the reasons that many of us
co-exist in any given system. We cannot be in the same workplace without
communicating. Just like every human relationship. The need for communication
is very essential in our office. And I mean effective communication.
A leader that lacks the fundamental skills of communicating
with his people would lose them to another companies. And might not get the
best out of them in terms of performance. Bad communication brings about bad
manners which could lead to toxicity. Reasons why people would like to work
with you goes beyond the pay slip and being in that Air condition. People would
like to work with leaders who know how to talk to them like a friend, like a
sister, like a brother and like a team mates. The same way you speak politely
to your clients when you need them to make a purchase should also be the same
way you ought to be communicating with your internal clients. When was the last
time you use the word “please” “Thank you” to your staff. Instead, it is about
shouting and command tone. Please let this stop Sir/Madam. And some of us don’t
use the word “Good morning” instead we make use of “How far” and some other time
it is a culture of no greeting at all. Projecting bad body language in the
system. This not ethical or healthy for a good company that want to leverage,
scale, and grow for better returns.
I can work for free or with a fair salary with a Founder
that has good manner of communicating with me and or his employee. People
dislike bad treatment. We are human. We should be humane in our approach to
human relationship at work, at home and in the society we co-exist. Those
content you wrote on your company website that you treat me like a family
should also reflect at work. Say no to scam. Or else otherwise someone wrote it
for you without you reviewing it before publishing. Just the same way that many
Founders and HR are clamoring that employees or job applicants fake the content
in their CV/Resume. Yes, it is like dating and or relationship. Human nature is
full of lies and can be deceptive. But you shall get to know the truth on the
job. Competency is the key.
I came across a founder who complained about employees not
doing the right thing. He went further by saying their CV is not reflecting
them. I mean the true image or color of them. I listened to him very well. I
noticed he is the cause of his own problem. He gave a job description that
looks like encyclopedia to his staff without really defining the core objective
of the firm and what is expected from individual’s and team. He expects much
while he pays less. And he has so many fowl languages that he used in
communicating to staff. Managers look down on applicant to much in this part of
the world. I think it is how our government portray us. But we need to know our
worth now. And again, this founder whenever he wants to conduct an interview
with candidates. Their HR policy is to off their own camera and tell the
applicant to switch theirs on. Who does that abroad? Please I need to know.
They don’t respect privacies at all. How can you be seeing me while I am not
seeing you? That is not communicating. It is one sided. For my safety and for
security reasons I feel I should know who I am in conversation with on Google
meet or zoom. It should either be 2 ways no video but audio. Or 2 ways video
and audio. If it is going to be recorded; appropriate permission should be
taken from the party involved.
Another mistakes some founder made s that they take things
personally when people don’t turn up for an interview. In this era of
technology, you do not want to embrace Tech tools to conduct interview
remotely. You still want someone who categorically stated it on his application
to he is out of job to come for a physical interview. And you know the cost of
fuel and transportation in this subsidy palaver in Nigeria. Funny truth is that
some companies may not end up hiring an applicant. With their popular phrase “we
shall get back to you” so where do you want him or her (the applicant) to
record that wasted 3k? Human Resource folks ghost a lot. And now this applicant
fails to turn for an interview you started taking it personally. Is it your
data, time and effort that he used in applying? First cut is the deepest.
Further, this founder while on interview session with an
applicant. He said things like go and calculate how much is going to be your
feeding and transportation for the month. Then get back to me. Can you just
imagine. This is how many Nigeria workers look so cheap to business owners and
modern days managers.
The reason people would want to work with startups is not
just all about meeting up with food and transportation. How about fulfilling
their personal goals and aspirations? How about self and professional
development?
I keep wondering when we would have a company in Nigeria.
When business would be built on the premise of friendship. Whereby both
managers and staff would smile and learn to forgive each other mistakes. And
when such mistakes occur, they see it as a learning process. Or make it a case
study to work with for the entire organization to work with.
Learn how to talk. Even if it means for you to pretend. The
business we are is a game. We need to play it well. It is also a movie while
not let us act it very well. Just 8 to 5 remotely, hybrid or onsite. Even if is
40 hours per week. But by acting it can become part of us as in part of our
daily life. Let us work on principle and churn techniques or manipulation.
Principles are classic and timeless.
Dear founder, the way and manner you communicate has
correlation with your productivity at work. The people working with you or
working for you already has their own personal or domestic problem. So why
compounding it for them? Instead, it should have been your job as a founder to
try and understand the people who work for you. Share stories with them. Let
them relate with you. Let them share what they are comfortable sharing with you
as a citizen of your company. See how you can help them solves problem so that
they can equally solve your clients and or business problem too profitably.
A workplace is not just a place to work. It is a learning
place. Your ability to manage effectively would lead to better retention. And
even when your employees signed out of your business, they can still be in
touch for business relationship. They said it is a small world. So be nice dear
investors, founders, CEO’s, Managing partner, HR, and Entrepreneurs.
The concept of work in the world has changed. So, we should
not feel we are doing favor to any employees. With their smartphone in their
hand, they have all options to take part in any online business, web3 and so
many innovations in the tech spaces. It is a window, android and iOS of
opportunities now powered by the internet.
In conclusion, think before you communicate. Write it down.
Ask yourself. If it were to be me myself. How would I interpret this statements
that I am about to share? Though we all have our own means of interpreting
messages. Personalized your message well. Use the right tone. Then make sure
you are in the right mood. Not when you had domestic argument or personal
crisis that you would start communicating official matter. Resolve to be
yourself, take a break and when you have composed yourself well you can communicate
to your team.
Even the best Leaders make mistake, and they know how to apologies.
Nobody is above mistake.
Employees turnover is not good for your business. When
people want to apply for job in your establishments, they would research you
online. They would research for people past and present. The feedback they
would gather goes a long whether to work with you or not. And if you feel this
arrogance that Nigeria is a large market, and you can use her people as you
want. Keep doing that and let me see how your company would make it to the top
of Fortune 500 companies. You are joking.
To Nigerian workers. Please avoid this notion of see finish.
I mean see me finish. For how long are we going to be tolerating bad treatment
from bad bosses? That’s too costly to our wellness and wellbeing. Learn to
speak up when you are not comfortable with things happening in your workspace.
Complete candor and not feeling intimidated by any boss are essential. And we
hope this message get to the desk of Startups owners and change the look of
business in Nigeria, West Africa, Africa and Globally now.
Thank you.
Never missed any Newsletter from Abiodun Ajala
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The
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How
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Introduction
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on LinkedIn below:
Getting
Started with Your Startup Business. Bringing Structure into a New Business in
The Digital Transformation Age.
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share with connections. Use some of the lesson you learnt there in to coach
your team and you shall see growth in your given business.
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About Abiodun
Ajala is a writer on business and organization. He had an MBA in Marketing
from the prestigious University of Ilorin. Feel free to reach me via Email and get professional services
for your business. You need a corporate communication specialist for your
LinkedIn page, website and other social platforms for client retention.
Labels: business, fintech, Startup
