Last May, the founder of a start up required his employees to work during the holidays, because he was eager to keep growing his software solution providing company.
He never threw a party or gave out year end/festival bonuses. While his clients were satisfied with the product they received, the employees felt totally burnt out. And by the next spring, more than half of his employees quit.
When asked about the reason, he said that they just did not understand that there cannot be any off in a start up.
The first time entrepreneur who expects his company to grow much more this year, has since then rebuilt his team and is trying new approaches to manage his people. They have staff outings, performance rewards and a day off in the week. On being asked if he feels that his current employees are satisfied, he said that it is a much better situation now and that he can very well understand why did his previous employees quit.
For start ups navigating through holidays could be a tricky thing. Where the founder is very keen on getting ahead on sales and revenue (which is totally justified keeping in mind the time and money he has invested), the employees feel exhausted working without a break. But what the founder does not understand here is that though missing out on even one day at work may affect it largely, yet if employees work continuously for weeks, their exhaustion will have a direct impact on the productivity and hence, revenue. And for the employee it is important to understand the end-to-end requirements of working in a start up, as that needs lot of dedication and skill sets.
It took quite a lot of time for the branded ones out there to set themselves as a pillar in the industry.
What people don’t realize is that it takes both the employee and the employer to make the start up a thing worthy to compete with, in the corporate market. But again, humans are not machines. The mind and the body needs time to rest, failing which, could cause a great loss to the body and the newly set organization it works for.
So, if you’re working or planning to work with a start up, be prepared not to expect holidays or even Sundays, at times, once you join it.
