An organisation is only as strong as it’s people

by Holly Branson – Virgin Management Team

I truly believe that an organisation is only as strong as its people, so here are my top five points for when it comes to building a strong and happy workforce:

Put people at the centre of your business. Your employees are by far the best advocates for your business. Make sure they feel valued and cared for so that they love your business just as much as you do. Little things make all the difference – remembering birthdays, celebrating success when hard work has lead to results, etc.

Choose the right talent and keep them. People are what make the cogs turn in a business.  A business simply can’t succeed without the success of its people, so not only should you pick the right people, but you should do everything in your power to help them grow and develop. Don’t second guess them, empower them.

Listen to your staff. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s to listen to your staff. People can be your best asset, or your most fierce opposition, so making sure you know how they feel and getting them on board is important. Nobody likes a dictatorship.

Be bold! Try new things. When it comes to testing out new ideas in the workplace it can feel like a bit of a gamble. For example, this year Virgin introduced unlimited holiday and nobody can predict whether or not it will work… but then again, how do you know until you try? It’s certainly no fun standing still!

Create a workplace that generates its own legacy. If a business is good, does good, and makes others feel good, then it creates its own legacy. It’s a lot harder to try and convince people that they’re looking at a good brand, rather than simply being a great one.