I don’t care whether you run a bagel shop or a car manufacturer. Once you forget that your employees are living humans, you begin marking time until you close up shop. Why? Because your business thrives on workers who give a shit – about the customer, the business and their coworkers; maybe even about you. But, workers only give a shit when they think their coworkers and bosses care about them and when they feel empowered to do their jobs and do them well.  Smarter people have figured out that businesses suffer when their employees tune out when they think they can’t get their jobs done well or that no one at the company cares about them. It turns out that credit – not money – is the greatest motivator.  So, you cost-cutting, I-need-you-to-work-a-little-harder-with-less-help, what-do-you-want-a-medal-for-doing-your-job-bastard, you are killing your business. Outdated, buggy technology, impactful staff shortages, lots of stupid paper work and red tape – these are things that make people want to stop trying and leave. Hostile or indifferent supervisors or refusing to acknowledge achievements make employees resentful; even spiteful. 

If you want to do better at your business, create an atmosphere that sees your workers as humans – flesh and blood, emotional, hungry and greedy for progress.  Invest in better, current technology.  Ask them what procedures waste their time and throw them out if possible. Ask them what they need to do better. Find out about their histories and outside life.  For God’s sake, turn on the A/C if they work after hours (that ones for law firms).  If you want to build that business to pass on to your kids or to sell in a deal of glory, then invest some money, time and emotion in your employees and they will invest in you.