Every business is only as strong as the team behind it, which is why ensuring everyone is motivated and challenged is essential.
Owning your own business presents a flurry of challenges on a daily basis, whether it is a fresh start-up project or an established venture with a large team behind it. As an entrepreneur, it is easy to fall into the trap of not wanting to delegate responsibilities – after all, the business is your baby, but it is important to learn to let go.
Trust your Team
If you don’t allow the team around you to take on responsibilities, this creates a sense of distrust which is highly demotivating. By entrusting your team with responsibilities, not only does this free up you own time, you present fresh challenges to your employees.
Once you have delegated responsibility, let your team know that you are always available for help and advice, but be careful to not constantly watch over their shoulder. Learning to let go is part and parcel of being a leader, and if you cannot show your team that you trust them, they will not remain employees of yours for much longer.
When your team is stimulated by their job, productivity and morale is high, which has a positive effect on business results. Experienced employees are less likely to feel as though they have hit a glass ceiling with no chance of progression when presented with new challenges and opportunities.
Corporate Activity Days
Nothing increases office morale quite like team building events that are designed to bring employees closer together professionally and personally. These can be as simple as an office lunch, where everyone goes out together, or family fun days where everyone can socialise with one and other’s loved ones.
Team building activities have a positive effect on morale, simply by breaking up the usual structure which can re-energise your team by taking their focus off work for a day. Events that force various colleagues to work together to solve a puzzle are also great for improving team chemistry, as well as helping new team members to settle in and get to know their new co-workers.
Listen to your Team
Show your team that they are valued by listening and implementing their ideas. When an employee feels that their manager does not listen to them, they are demotivated and begin to question their position within the company.
Managers, mostly, do not purposely refuse to hear out the thoughts of their staff, but this is where many leaders fall short. Schedule regular meetings where your team can bring their concerns and ideas to the table. By asking your team to bring their own ideas to the table, staff will feel challenged to present an effective idea that will improve the business in some way that perhaps management not have thought of.
When your team feel that they are listened to, a business is more likely to retain valuable members of staff who will feel as though they can approach their manager.
Be as Open as Possible
Make a point of sharing news of the business with your team. In many companies, there is a barrier between management and ‘regular’ staff simply because employees feel as though the company is not open and honest with them.
By sharing company news, employees feel included and part of the business, rather than simply working for it. When there is a sense of everything being in it together, this has a positive effect on morale and productivity.
As a business leader, you do not have to go up to everyone on a daily basis and force a conversation. Simply let your team know that they have your trust, they can come to you with any concerns and ideas, and create a culture where everyone is working towards the same goal.
