How a Franchise Agreement and a Franchise Disclosure Document differ
There are two documents that are of vital importance...
As a newer Canadian franchisee, you may not have a lot of experience with the management of employees. Between hiring, firing and employee retention, there is a lot on your plate when you have employees. Luckily, there is a way to help ensure employees are happy, motivated and stay put: knowing what concerns employees and what you can do to address those concerns right out of the gate.
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Benefits and wages
You must be realistic here: very few people go to work for another person or company because they enjoy it. Most people work to support themselves financially and receive benefits. Because of this, you have to consider what you can offer your employees. The lower your wages, the less motivated your employees are likely to be.
Benefits also play a part in employee satisfaction. Whenever you can, try to offer extra job perks, like paid time off. Employees feel more loyal to a business when they are treated well and fairly.
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Employee scheduling
When an employee works for you, they are giving up part of their day. If they have school, family or other commitments outside of the workplace, they may need some consideration when it comes to their schedule. This is where you can offer more to employees you can't give benefits to. Flexible scheduling is a way to show you respect your employees, too.
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The management
The management at your franchise sets the tone for the entire workplace. If you have a manager who is disliked by employees, it will be a problem. Pay close attention to the feedback about the manager you get from employees. Always address any conflict between employees and the manager right away, and make employees feel as if they can discuss concerns about management with you at any time.
If you don't have an outside manager and handle that yourself, keep in mind that your behavior and actions will have a profound impact on employees. If you want a positive workplace with good morale, you must behave in ways that will make that happen.
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The line of communication
Clear, open communication between you, the employees and any managers in place is critical. Any time you implement a new procedure, sale or expectation, make sure that it is clearly communicated to everyone in the workplace. If you don't, there may be unnecessary confusion, and that can harm morale.
It's easy for employees to have concerns because they are so common in the workplace. By being aware of them, you are better positioned to handle those concerns before they lead to a high turnover rate.
