One of the biggest opportunities I didn’t take more advantage of while growing a company, is not gathering enough feedback from employees more often. Being the co-founder of the company that started from scratch, I personally did every single role in every department on my own. I was a salesperson, support rep, marketer, graphic designer, onboarding specialist, retention specialist, and billing person- all at the same time. Needless to say, I know every facet of my company very well.

However, as we started to grow the team, and bring in people with different backgrounds and experiences, I quickly realized I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. With diversity, comes new insights, thoughts and ideas that can make some of the biggest impacts in your business. When you start managing, as opposed to being wrapped up in the nitty-gritty daily operations, you can easily lose sight of the processes, procedures and efficiencies within each role. This is when you have to put more trust in your team, and continuously seek feedback and input, no matter how big or small.

We launched Web4Realty back in 2011. A LOT has changed over the last several years. There are so many new tools and apps that have changed the way companies work and operate. For example, the way we did sales and support only two years ago, is very different from the way we do it today. We have different processes, use different apps, and have streamlined operations. As a manager, even though you’re responsible for implementing new procedures in the company, you’ll never see things from the lens of the people actually working in them in the day-to-day.

Here are 3 reasons why employee feedback can change your business for the good:

1. Continually improve your business

If you want to continue improving your business processes and efficiencies, and ensure your team is performing optimally, consistent feedback is imperative. There are no better people to provide information on improvements and opportunities, than the one’s performing the job functions on a daily basis. Although the final decisions usually come from the managers or founders, the feedback from the rest of the team is what drives those decisions. WIthout feedback employees, you’ll essentially be shooting arrows in the dark.

2. Empower your team

There’s nothing I love more than when team members contribute to the greater good of the company. I’m not talking about simply performing their required tasks. I’m talking about providing thoughtful feedback and taking initiative. I always encourage my team to seek opportunities in their processes, and continuously be mindful of ways to be more effective in their roles. This is one of the amazing parts of working for a young lean company in the new-age. Contributions from team members are real and impactful, and there’s no greater feeling than making a true difference in the company.

3. Even though it’s your business, you can always learn

As a founder, you can never stop learning your own business. Although it’s your business, you can’t be naive about knowing everything. You have to really understand that ins-and-outs of every single layer in the company in every department. When you start managing and looking at things from the top layer, it’s tough to get a real glimpse of what’s happening on the ground. The only way to do that is through constant feedback and dialogue from your team. The more you learn and the deeper understanding you have, the better decisions you will make, which should have positive ripples to everyone involved.