i) A friendly atmosphere,
ii) Having a close relationship with colleagues and bosses, and
iii) Having a say in the future of the company
So now, we are going to reveal exactly what it is that employees love so much about SMEs and how you can use that to nab the best talent there is on the market. I have picked a number of key objectives and looked at the stats surrounding those objectives and then looked at what you can do to get the most out of them.
Friendly colleagues
The stats : Most important for employees and employers alike was providing a positive work environment, with a majority saying that this was a key advantage to working in a SME as opposed to a larger company.
What you can do : The best way to ensure your working environment remains positive, is to have open lines of communication. SME's have the advantage here, as they are typically less bureaucratic, so there are normally closer relationships between the leadership and the employees.
Building relationships
The stats: Another big hitter on why people chose to work for a small company was the ability to get to know more of the employees. Almost half (49%) of 18 - 24 year old employees polled felt that they have a better social life with their colleagues in an SME than in a larger business or corporate.
In fact, working relationships developed a bit of a theme as 45% of SME employees said that having a closer relationship with their manager made them happier at work.
What you can do : Treat your business philosophy like an extension of your family. By dong this, your workforce and employees will feel more included and appreciated.
Treasured opinions
The stats: Being able to offer input into the future of the company was seen as an advantage. However, employers found this more valuable than employees, with 61% of the former to 41% of the latter.
What you can do : This shows that although employees feel like they have more of a say with an SME, employers could work a little harder on making sure their employees critique is taken on board.
Flexible working hours
The stats: Both employers and employees agree that flexible working hours make employees happy.
What you can do : SMEs are much more likely to be able to tailor a job to deal with employees' individual needs.
For example, if