- Have a complex job description
- Detailed rule/policy book on how to behave in the workplace
- Have a strict dress code policy
- Do not have any time flexibility
- Be stingy on approving vacations
- Have no career path , training and mentoring &
- No recognition for good work done by the employees

This is the perfect recipe on how not to attract red carpet employees.

I call them red carpet employees – people who will work for you as though it’s their company and perform at their best capabilities. They will love to work with you because they respect your knowledge and skills, they will never complain about the pay, will always keep the customers happy and in turn your customers will be more than happy to do business with you.

These people don’t just fall in your lap though. You have to do a number of things to attract them like a magnet and the above list is definitely not what you need to follow.

Attracting the right kind of employees and building a team is the most important factor for an SME, as a good team will ensure good business and a bad team will lead to a slump in the business.

To have these red carpet employees, you need to have a positive work culture in place. Positive work culture is where your employees are happy, there is no cribbing, performance is at its best, customers are on a repeat business and there are lot of referrals from employees and clients

Positive work culture is where the employees feel a sense of belonging in the company, are happy to work and are not just looking forward to a Friday.

1. Ways to inculcate positive work culture
2. Define company values, vision & purpose
3. Communicate the same with your team

Let there be a clear flow of communication in the team (transparency on all the business matters). Give equal importance to employee ideas. Every individual has an intrinsic need for growth. This , if fulfilled, gives a sense of satisfaction that beats the satisfaction of higher salary

Ensure there is a strong mentoring program , career progression and training to build the competence of the team

Recognize the team for their awesome work. A simple thank you from someone makes our day and a word of compliment leads to an adrenaline rush. That’s the power of recognition.

If you follow these rules, you won’t have to go out hunting for the best performers, they will hunt you down to get a role in your company.

I hope this article has started turning the wheels on what area you specifically need to work on to get really clear and take your business to the next level.