How to grow a productive & happy team, Katharine Pooley, Founder & Executive President

With Zippia reporting that happy workers are 13% more productive than unhappy workers, clearly it’s crucial to maintain a supportive and welcoming company culture as you grow your business. Not only will this keep your employees motivated, but you’ll also reap the benefits of higher productivity.  So, I wanted to find out how to grow a productive and happy team. That’s why I spoke with Katharine Pooley, Founder & Executive President of her eponymous luxury interior design studio. As one of the UK’s foremost interior designers, Katharine has grown her team to fifty people and adeptly balanced maintaining a creative environment with ensuring her team gets stuff done.  Keep listening to hear Katharine’s advice on how to keep your team happy as well as productive as you scale and why thinking about the octopus effect can really help imbue each and every employee on a daily basis.  Katherine"s advice: Know your limit in terms of number of employees The happiness of your team is critical and will spring from:Enjoyment of the workGood collaborationBonuses, salary raises and perksKnowing each other wellBeing allowed autonomy and being trustedHaving a safe work environmentA pleasant office with a reasonable commuteBeing trained and having the opportunity for meetings and discussionsExamining a project after it has been delivered and discussing its good and bad pointsIf a team is a happy one, productivity will be the resultA happy team will be a loyal one and the longstanding employees will be so valuableLongstanding members can perhaps each manage their own teamIt’s a symbiotic relationship between employer and employedYou need each other and ideally will stimulate each other From the employer’s point of view, when interviewing:Try to assess the candidate quicklyTrust the ones who speak with genuine warmth rather than the well-rehearsed speechesIt’s important to like your employeesAvoid ones who chatter rather than answering the questionThose who can communicate and engage with you face to face will be strongestAs the boss make sure you tackle your emails every single nightIf you have children be up front with them about what you need to do (and then make the most of your time with them)Give yourself goals at the start of the year and check up on them in AugustRemember, your enthusiasm will be infectious to your employeesBe consistent Always be approachable; make yourself available at all times and respond to requestsTry to deal with problems yourself rather than handing them downBe prepared to forgive mistakes FF&M enables you to own your own PR. Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield, 2023 MD & Founder of PR & Communications consultancy for startups Fallow, Field & Mason.  Email us at hello@fallowfieldmason.com or DM us on instagram @fallowfieldmason.  MUSIC CREDIT Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link &  Licence Text us your questions for future founders. Plus we'd love to get your feedback, text in via Fan Mail Support the show