Scaling a business is exciting, but it’s rarely easy. Growth introduces new pressures that affect everyone, from your leadership team to your front-line employees. If it’s not handled thoughtfully, scaling can lead to burnout, turnover, and even a loss of faith in leadership—costing your organization time, money, and momentum.
So how can you scale your business successfully and protect employee morale, engagement, and loyalty along the way? Let’s break it down:
Invest in Your Leadership Team
Your leadership team sets the tone during periods of change. When scaling, it’s worth doubling down on leadership development—whether that’s through training, coaching, or peer mentorship programs.
Research shows that 70% of the variance in team engagement is determined solely by the manager (Gallup, 2022). That means equipping your leaders with the right skills isn’t optional; it’s critical to the employee experience during growth phases.
Hire Carefully and Thoughtfully
Growth often means hiring fast, but it’s important to hire right. Culture fit, adaptability, and emotional intelligence matter as much as skills and experience during transitional periods.
Turnover can spike during scaling: companies in growth mode see voluntary attrition rates increase by up to 40% when hiring ramps up quickly without careful onboarding and retention strategies. Protect your culture and avoid unnecessary churn by making intentional hiring decisions.
Protect Morale with Recognition and Community
Change naturally creates uncertainty. Long-tenured employees, who may feel destabilized by rapid expansion, need reassurance that they are still valued. A strong culture of appreciation can help keep morale high and foster loyalty.
This is where flexible employee recognition tools can play a big role. With tools like the Engage2Reward™ Gift Card Ordering Platform, you can quickly and easily recognize contributions, offer meaningful rewards, and keep your workforce engaged—even when things are moving fast.
Even small acts of appreciation go a long way during growth: 69% of employees say they would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized.
Final thought:
Scaling successfully isn’t just about hitting growth targets; it’s about scaling with your people, not at their expense. Invest in leadership, hire with care, and take recognition seriously. Tools like the Engage2Reward Platform can help you create a culture where employees feel valued and motivated—even in times of rapid change.
Schedule a call with our team to start incentivizing a successful team.
