The 4 Different Types of Employer

As the number of small business-owners has increased dramatically in the digital age, so too SMEs have become a pivotal economic engine in the UK.

After all, total employment in SMEs peaked at 16.3% million at the start of this year, with this number having grown to account for 60% of all private sector jobs.

This has created an entire generation of employers, however, many of whom may not be fully qualified to lead others or deliver the infrastructure that their staff members require.

In this article, we’ll look at five different types of employer, while appraising the characteristics that define each one.

The Miser

First up is the miser, who tends to be overly focused on profitability and is committed to reducing costs wherever possible.

This may sound like good business sense, of course, but it can become counterproductive if you unfairly cap employee wages and refuse to share any semblance of growth with key stakeholders.

Over time, this type of approach will reduce employee engagement and have a huge impact on each staff member’s productivity, while also triggering a high turnover of staff and making it possible to retain top talent.

The Carer

Now we come to the carer, who’s likely to be in touch with the modern employee and capable of creating a positive and empowering work environment.

There are several factors that define the caring employer, with a desire to deliver flexible working hours and allow staff members to work from home (or at least use their own devices in the office) one of the most prominent.

This type of employer will also be committed to ensuring that you have access to the best and most rewarding pension plans, both in terms of their contributions and the included asset classes.

To achieve this, they’ll most likely liaise with independent pension specialists like Hymans Robertson, as this will ensure that they create the most relevant and profitable scheme on behalf of their representatives.

The Enabler

‘Enabler’ is a term that can be viewed in both positive and negative lights, primarily because it can hint at the encouragement of both good and bad behaviour.

The same principle can be applied in the workplace, as an enabler is likely to have a conciliatory and non-confrontational mindset that implores them to see the good in people and allow them to operate with genuine autonomy.

From a positive perspective, this could well reward employees with a strong work-ethic and efficient method of working, while it will also enable people who want to pursue a path of self-improvement to achieve their objectives.

However, there’s a risk that enablers will also encourage negative behaviour in the workplace, by tolerating an individual’s weaknesses even in instances where they impact negatively on the business.

The Resistor

We finish with the resistor, who’s likely to have an extremely stuck and rigid mindset that is resistant to change.

While you can argue that this may be positive when a business is succeeding, it’s an increasingly outdated mindset in an age where the pace of social, technological and economic change has never been more pronounced.

Increasingly, it’s unlikely that the resistor will ever be able to lead a progressive business that can enjoy sustainable success, although this is not to say that he cannot successfully lead small ventures in relatively restricted niches.

This type of employer can also be frustrating to work for, as their resistance to change presents clear and obvious obstacles to both collective and individual growth.

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