5 ways wedding pro’s can deliver big impact with a small team

Working as part of a small team can have big perks – both for employers and employees. 

We all have to start somewhere and it’s reassuring to know that even companies like Apple and Facebook would have started with a handful of experts before growing to employ hundreds of thousands of people all across the world.

What we do know first hand is that having a small, quality team of skilled, engaged and motivated employees beats having a large team. But knowing how to keep that team engaged, motivated and productive is the key to making sure your small team delivers big results for your wedding business.

Here are five ways to get the most out of a small team…

1. Hiring the right people

Being selective with who you employ is paramount for a company or team of any size but hiring the right people is even more crucial for small teams. And the right person isn’t necessarily the one with perfect experience.

Ensuring that a new members personality fits your wedding company culture is key as you’ll need new additions to be hard working, ready to get stuck in with all manner of tasks and able to thrive in a small team environment.

You’ll need to make sure that you’re hiring a people person too. The wedding industry is a public facing one so personality is key.

The impact of hiring the wrong person can spread throughout the entire team quickly and it can negatively affect the performance of your wedding business.

2. Cultivate a culture of respect

The benefits and challenges of a small team are that you’ll be spending a pretty significant proportion of your lives together. This can result in a close team with great relationships but it can also mean frustrations and disruptions are likely.

By encouraging all employees in your small team to have respect not only for each other but for the business, you maximise the chances of developing a professional yet relaxed environment for all team members to flourish in.

Boundaries are important when small teams become good friends as well as colleagues.

Be sure to arrange team building events to show you support relationship development but be clear that work time and down time are two separate things. And make sure to include all team members in decision making – giving everyone a voice by holding regular team catch ups and encouraging an open forum of discussion and idea sharing.

3. Ensure clearly defined roles and responsibilities

It is especially important that you ensure everyone is clear about their tasks and responsibilities within a small team. This prevents people stepping on each others toes and competing within close proximity. That isn’t to say that you should discourage collaboration on certain tasks; simply ensure that day to day tasks don’t overlap between colleagues for more streamlined operational efficiencies.

4. Invest in learning

Having a smaller team means that you can invest more time and money in helping them develop and grow as individuals. Offer to send employees on training courses or to wedding industry conferences and they will become valuable assets to your business.

5. Ensure your people have fun and a good work-life balance

Encourage your team members to have lives outside of work and you’ll enjoy the benefits of happier team members who spend less time doing a better job than someone who’s burnt out and demotivated.

Be sure to celebrate successes and arrange fun activities as a team to acknowledge a job well done.

A small team can have big advantages for wedding pro’s

A small team can be as successful (or even more) as a large team as long as they’re managed in the right way.

In a small team, each team member has even more responsibility in ensuring your wedding business is successful; so hire well, reward right and ensure everyone pulls their weight, and you’ll pride yourself on having the best team in the industry.

Start with good people and success will follow.