In today’s world, the pace is often going a lot faster than we can keep up with – especially at work. Most of the time we just get through what needs to be done to service our customers and we manage to put everything else aside until there is “more time”. We sometimes fail to work on one of the most important assets of the business and that is our employees.

We all know effective communication is essential in any workplace, but communicating with and to employees has a greater impact to your overall business than you might think. Communication and feedback is extremely important to ensure that you are boosting your employees’ morale, rapport, engagement and productivity. Employees often look to their managers for advice and direction, which is one of the reasons why having the right middle management is pivotal to any successful business. Middle managers are in a position to influence, guide and develop the front line team in order to unlock their full potential.

The key to any successful business is your employees and effective management, as if your team is lacking then your pocket will most certainly feel the impact. However, if done successfully communication and management can have a positive influence on the quality of customer service that your employees provide and in turn increase your venues bottom line profit. This is a customer service can often be what sets your venue apart from your competitors’ and give you a point of difference. Patrons will come back time and time again to a venue where they know they will receive the best service and a positive atmosphere.

It is the relationship that your employees have with their manager that impacts on their commitment level in the workplace. To be in such a position and successfully be a mentor is not an easy one, it takes training and experience in order to become an effective leader. So the question is: are your middle managers at a level to be able to guide, influence and mentor your employees successfully to be able to influence your business? Or do they require training themselves and develop their skills and to become a strong leader?

Middle management need to ensure they facilitate two-way communication, as this makes employees feel as though they are important and valued within the workplace. Managers need to ensure they are setting time aside to listen and concentrate on the employees and their views and thoughts. This is important as it allows management to identify problems and issues earlier to eliminate them before they become difficult or costly to manage.

As much as we value communication and recognise that it is an integral part of your business’ operation, how can you ensure that your managers are doing this effectively?

Have you noticed recently there is a downturn in moral, productivity and team work within your venue? As well as strong communication, there are many other aspects of being a successful leader to drive employees and to enhance team moral. The first step for any venue to determine what areas your managers excel in as well as the areas that need improvement.