When it comes to your staff, it can be difficult to build the relationships you’d like. There’s a tough power play between respect, and friendship, which takes years of practice. And, the smallest thing can tip the scale, sending you into bad boss territory.
Of course, many things make a difference to working relationships. Being fair and respectful to staff will take you a long way, as will showing an interest in their personal lives. Even something as simple as bringing cakes to work is sure to put you in people’s good books.
And, once you manage to develop the right relationships, your workplace will become a haven of calm and comfort. In theory, everyone will be happy and willing to go that extra mile. They’ll appreciate those little things you do for them, and do things for you in return. It’s the ideal work environment, right?
Of course, it is. But, harmony like that rarely lasts. Let’s not forget; your staff aren’t with you for the fun of it. They can’t love your enterprise the way you do. To strip the issue down; they’re only there because you pay them. You can’t expect more than that. So, no matter how harmonious your workplace is the rest of the time, it’s sure to erupt if a mistake is made on payday.
In a small business, the chances are that you tackle the issue of pay alone. As such, mistakes are sure to happen now and again. You’re only human. And, though the issue is far from ideal, your staff will understand that if you tackle things in the right way. But, if you fail to solve the problem satisfactorily, or brush them, off, you may lose your staff, or at least your relationship with them. So, next time someone comes to your office with a pay enquiry, make sure to follow these steps.
Assess the issue together
The first thing you should do is sit down with the employee in question and discuss the issue. Get them to bring their payslip, and show you what the problem is. While you don’t want them to think you doubt them, it’s important to ensure they haven’t got things wrong. It’s also crucial to see whether the mistake lies with you, the tax man, or their bank. All three are equal possibilities.
Make sure to keep your language mutual during this conversation, and don’t act smug if they’ve got things wrong. Listen to what they have to say, and then find a tactful way to point out their mistake. Never get defensive.
If their bank is at fault, help them to sort the issue. Before sending them away, make sure that nothing on your end contributed to the problem. And, make sure to follow things up. You need to know your staff have been paid!
If the issue does lie with you, make sure to…
Act fast
The speed with which you act will go a huge way towards resolving tensions. You need to understand that people have rent and bills to pay. It’s not sufficient to simply’ deal with it later’. This should be your top priority.
Depending on the manner of the issue, there may be a fast fix. It could be something as simple as entering whatever software you use to pay people and clicking a button. Or, something more complex could have taken place, such as a mistake in taxation, or a failure to pay for a holiday.
Whatever the reason, solve things as fast as possible. Make any phone calls necessary straight away, and express your urgency. And, don’t think that one phone call will cut it. Even small clerical errors can take a long time to solve if you don’t chase the issue. Make sure to keep calling people until your colleague has the money in their account. If you don’t find a fix by the end of the day, it may be worth paying an advance from your pocket. While a last resort, a move like this will be sure to cement the relationship. It’ll also give you an extra incentive for chasing that missing money.
Don’t let it happen again
It’s worth bearing in mind the motto of ‘once bitten, twice shy,’ here. While staff members may be able to overlook one pay slip, they won’t be so forgiving the second time around. In fact, even if different employees are involved, you’ll see negative implications of repeated mistakes.
As such, you need to do everything possible to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Taking note of exactly what caused the issue is a good bet. When chasing the money, make sure to gain as good an understanding of the mistake as possible. And, write down everything you did to solve it. That way, you can fix things in no time if it does happen again.
If you want to make absolutely sure, you could always advertise for staff to take charge using payroll recruitment agencies. Such agencies are your best bet for finding someone who knows how payrolls work. You’re an entrepreneur, not a pro. Your knowledge of paying others is probably basic at best. Getting a professional on the case is a sure way to avoid silly mistakes.
Apologise
Sorry should not be the hardest word if you’ve made a mistake with payment. In fact, it should be a word you use time and again. Because, technicalities aside, an issue like this can cause real distress to the person on the end of it. Not to mention that it could put them in trouble with landlords, bill companies, and many others.
Yet, many bosses fail to say sorry in situations like these. It’s a small word which will take you far. And, to show that you mean it, do everything you can to lessen the impact of the mistake. Talk to the people who are annoyed, and take responsibility. Taking the bullet like that will go a long way towards repairing that all important relationship.
