When you are running your own business, you need to be able to rely on your team. They are at the core of all you do, they are the cogs in your business. So how do you keep them firing on all cylinders and working to the best of their ability? You work hard on boosting and maintaining team morale, which is why today we are sharing with you our top 3 ways to boost team morale.
Make the Working Environment Comfortable
Firstly, you will need to address some basic needs. Ensure that there is natural light flooding in and use companies such as MTA to ensure the office is a comfortable temperature as no-one wants to work in sweltering conditions. Ensure that the kitchen has everything needed for drinks and snack stops and where possible, make sure that there is somewhere for people to take themselves off to for lunch.
You then need to assess everyone’s work station and check that it is ergonomically designed. If it works for your environment, try to give people regular spots to work in so that they know where they need to be each day.
Look around at your workspace. Does it feel fresh, clean and dynamic? Is it somewhere that people will be happy spending several hours each day? Brighten it up if needs be, add art and photos, buy a new coffee machine, improve the lighting, purchase fresh flowers, whatever works well for your premises.
Keep Everyone in the Loop
To properly function as a team, everybody should be kept in the loop. There is no point in keeping certain goals, plans or targets to yourself if you are going to rely on everyone to help you to reach them, so share those details with them.
Aim to have regular team meetings, perhaps a few minutes each morning to set everyone up then a longer meeting once a month talking through strategy, upcoming changes and aims. Encourage your team to share their ideas and voice their opinions as several heads are better than one. The more involved in the running of the business that people feel, the more invested they will be in its success.
You will find here that as well as boosting morale, your team will be more productive. As they understand what is needed to succeed, they will focus on delivering that.
Show Them That They Are Valued
Every individual in your team needs to feel valued. When people recognise that they are needed, that they can and do make a difference, they are more likely to perform well, have a great attendance record and contribute passionately to your business.
There are so many ways to show your team that you care, from working alongside them, to thanking them, to taking an interest in their lives outside of work. It does not take much to be kind, be clear and be grateful, and that is all that you need to do here.
At the end of a long week, say thanks, grab a box of donuts. If you have an amazing month where everyone has put the hours in, give everyone an extra long lunch break. People will be able to see that you know and recognize what they are doing and when people understand that, they will usually keep on doing it.
