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Are you having difficulty pulling your team out of a slump? Grey days, slow business and a whole host of other factors can contribute to loss of enthusiasm in the workplace, and let’s face it; it’s tough to keep the momentum going! Here are some fun ideas to give your employees the boost they need to lift their spirits and increase productivity.
1. Celebrate the day! Don’t wait for an excuse to inject a little life into your workplace. Bring in a cake or some doughnuts to your staff and tell them you want to thank them for all that they do. You can be sure that if you do this on a regular basis, they will begin to willingly do more. When I was a manager, I used to bring cake into my office every Friday. In spite of receiving criticism, I persisted, and it paid off. Any time I needed a favour, my staff were always willing to step up.
2. Socialize. Take the time to get up from your desk and ask people how they are and what’s new and then listen for the answer! These are common rhetorical questions but see what happens when you to listen for a response. Nobody will care about you until you show you care about them. When your employees feel you genuinely care about them, they will give back ten-fold.
3. Give a compliment. Think of something nice you can say about each and every employee, and then go tell them. Always be sincere and please keep it related to work. Use your head and do not comment on things that will get you charged with harassment! Telling someone you admire their persistence, or their attention to detail is a form of recognition and it shows appreciation (something we all want). This will automatically increase the level of engagement among your employees.
4. Ask for an opinion. Need to make an important business decision? Ask your staff members what they think. They may see something you don’t. Being boss doesn’t mean you have to know everything. It means you have to have people around you who know things you do not. Their ideas should contribute to the success of the business. Asking for and accepting their opinions will allow them to feel valuable. They will naturally become more engaged because they will feel tied to the results they create.
5. Support a cause. Work as a team to do something that is good for the world outside of work. Get your group together to raise money for a charity. Everyone should choose a cause together and decide what you will accomplish as a team in support of the cause. Whether you decide to have a golf tournament, a walkathon, work in a soup kitchen, or hold an office lottery, let the charity be something that brings all of you together. Have staff members contribute in some way to build excitement around what you are achieving for your chosen charity, and have fun with it!
6. Start a club. Team building is enhanced when work groups do things together that have nothing to do with work. Some office club ideas could be a book club, a wine club, drama club, sports/ fitness club, etc. Use your imagination. Having fun together outside of work gives people the opportunity to see their co-workers in a different light. Developing friendships with co-workers is important. Employees who feel isolated will not be engaged.
Renée Cormier is the President and owner of POWERHOUSE CONFERENCES, a company dedicated to working with businesses to increase efficiency, productivity and profit. Renée has spent the last 12 years as a training and development professional. She has been an entrepreneur, worked for both large and small companies, managed both people and sales effectively, and developed systems and habits that brought her much success. Renée uses her experience in Business and Adult Education to develop and implement training programs that show business leaders how to engage their workforce and get guaranteed bottom line results! Clients say her learning sessions are lively, engaging and valuable. Contact: renee@powerconferences.ca or visit www.powerconferences.ca.
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