How to Successfully Build a Franchise Team at Your Business

For franchise owners, a strong team can mean the difference between success and failure, growth and stalling out. And while some franchise owners may have previous leadership and team building experience, we know that this isn’t the case for all. For some, leading a small, diverse team can be a challenge—albeit a new and exciting one! In this article, we'll show you how you can begin to build a solid franchise team that drives your business forward, as well as the steps you can take to help keep them around for the long term. 

Start by assessing your hiring needs and hire accordingly to build a franchise team

Building a franchise team starts with you getting a clear understanding of what skills and roles you’ll need now and in the future to run your business smoothly. Think about what your office needs right away: maybe customer service or account specialists, bookkeepers, or sales professionals to drum up new business. Now take it a step further: What might your business need as it grows? Maybe you’ll need a business development manager to guide the new client acquisition process, or maybe you’ll want the expertise of a certified public accountant as taxes become more complex. And if you have any existing employees, take a look how they perform currently and see if you can find any gaps that new qualifications and traits could help fill.

When you’re ready to hire for these roles, make sure you’re drawing in the right candidates by posting clear and attractive job descriptions that communicate the kind of employee you’re looking for. You can access a wider pool of possible talent if you post your openings on a mix of online job boards, social media, and local networking events. And remember: Candidates can be a great fit skills-wise, but they may not be the right choice for your particular franchise’s culture and values. Make sure you’re keeping culture front of mind during the interview process. 

If you’re a Spherion franchisee, you can also lean on Spherion's resources to boost your recruitment efforts. We offer our franchise owners plenty of tools and support for finding and evaluating candidates for their own businesses—not just our clients’—making the hiring process much easier. 

Define your franchise team building strategy to develop and retain top talent

Attracting top talent is just the first step; developing and retaining these valuable team members is crucial for the long-term success of your franchise. A franchise team building strategy with a strong focus on onboarding, training, career advancement, and recognition will help you keep your best employees engaged and motivated.

A strong community and culture

Creating a strong team culture keeps your employees happy, which ultimately helps your franchise grow. After all, when your team feels connected and appreciated, they’re more likely to stay and contribute positively. On the more work-related side of culture, you can try team-building activities that strengthen relationships and boost morale. Prioritize open communication, regular touchpoints, and collaborative projects, which helps form a sense of camaraderie and teamwork.

On the more social side, you can create a positive and inclusive environment by celebrating diversity, recognizing achievements, and even encouraging human connection. Simple gestures like celebrating birthdays and organizing team lunches go a long way toward cultivating a warm, welcoming atmosphere and supportive team culture.

Onboarding and training

Onboarding sets the tone for a new employee's experience, and it can make a big difference when it comes to retention. In fact, a study for Glassdoor found that an effective onboarding process boosts retention of new hires by 82%. That’s great—but few employees have actually seen this kind of onboarding in action. Only around 12% of US employees had a good onboarding experience, if they have one at all!

This makes onboarding a huge opportunity for you to create a positive impression right from the start. Give every new hire a warm welcome and a comprehensive introduction to your franchise’s values, culture, and operations. You may also want to pair new hires with a mentor to guide them through their initial weeks, ensuring they feel supported and informed while they get up to speed. Once they’re comfortable, regular training sessions should be part of your routine for every employee, offering them the chance to improve their skills and industry-specific knowledge so they stay at the top of their game.

Career Advancement 

Providing clear paths for career advancement and growth is a major part of any talent retention strategy. Without defined career progression opportunities at your franchise, your employees will ultimately wind up leaving for somewhere that does offer room for growth. Regularly discuss career goals with your team members and help them identify opportunities for growth within the franchise. This can be through promotions, additional responsibilities, or special projects, really anything that communicates that you’re invested in their future. To further boost morale, providing access to continuous learning via professional development resources, workshops, and courses can keep employees more invested in their career and in your business. 

Recognition and feedback 

We’ve touched on this already, but it bears repeating: a culture of recognition helps maintain a motivated and productive team. Implement regular feedback sessions where employees can discuss their performance, set goals, and receive guidance. Celebrate achievements big and small through formal recognition programs, shout-outs in team meetings, or simple thank-you notes. Acknowledging hard work and progress reinforces a positive work environment and encourages employees to stay committed.

The role of franchise leadership in team building

Finally, we can’t overstate the importance of effective franchise leadership. A strong leader not only builds and nurtures a cohesive team but also prepares them for changes and helps them continuously improve their performance. As a franchise leader, you should be focusing on inspiring and guiding your team, creating an environment where everyone feels motivated and valued. Strive to lead by example, showing dedication, integrity, and a positive attitude. 

It’s also your responsibility to prepare your team for changes and challenges. Keep them informed about industry trends and potential disruptions, and be proactive and transparent about upcoming changes. Doing so will help to reduce uncertainty among your team and keep them resilient, adaptable, and ready to take on what’s next.

And lastly, as the business owner with the most oversight into each aspect of your franchise, you should be regularly measuring team performance to look for strengths and potential areas for improvement. Set clear, achievable goals based on these, and use performance metrics to track your team’s progress—offering constructive feedback and support along the way to help employees reach their full potential. By focusing on your own skills and responsibilities as a franchise leader, you can build a strong, resilient team that's ready to tackle challenges and seize opportunities for growth.

A strong franchise team is key to long-term success

To sum this up, building a strong franchise team will entail effective hiring, fostering a positive culture, and nurturing top talent so they want to stick with you for the long haul. Make sure to provide great onboarding and training, offer career advancement opportunities, and set up recognition and feedback systems to keep everyone motivated and engaged. And as we’ve seen, franchise leadership is also essential for building your team, preparing them for changes, and continually improving performance. 

If you’re a Spherion franchisee, we encourage you to bring these strategies to your Spherion franchise. By doing so, you'll create a supportive and dynamic work environment where your team can truly shine. If you’re considering buying a Spherion franchise, talk to your Spherion liaison about meeting with some current franchisees who operate with the backing of strong franchise teams. 

Need a little help figuring out how to get started? That’s what we’re here for. Contact Dan Brunell, VP of Franchise Development, for more!