It’s the start of the Olympic Games. The world’s finest athletes are set to do battle. They will train hard. Competition will be intense. Extra effort is required to get over the line. Athletes need to be at the top of their game to succeed. Those that aren’t will falter.

There are a number of parallels here for UK-based businesses. People make the difference for companies. Process improvements and product innovations all come from people. It is employees that really set a company apart from its competitors. It’s so important then that companies harness the power of their people.

An article I read highlighted a big gap between employee productivity in the UK compared with the rest of the developed world. This is a trend we must reverse if our economy is to prosper.

It stands to reason then that you need to give your employees the best chance to succeed:

·         Listen to their feedback and take action where necessary

·         Focus on improving the relationship between managers and employees

·         Have integrity as a company – employees now demand this from their employer

·         Create a culture that employees want to be part of – one with meaningful values and where employees know what they’re working towards

·         Train and develop your people to improve skills and productivity

There’s no substitute for hard work – just ask the Olympians. The fragile economy means many companies need to ask for more from employees. But there’s also an onus on employers to create a better workplace to encourage extra effort.