It’s the little things that count! With Christmas just around the corner, we’ve been thinking about what we can gift our fab team with this year!
Employees need to feel valued and cared for; our team are not our family, but they spend the biggest chunk of their day with us, so we want them to be happy in our company.
But it’s not all about raises, mandatory “parties” or free fruit bowls on a Monday.
In the spirit of Christmas, here are five ways you can gift your team...
Treat Them Equally
Don’t, for example, punish non-parents and non-smokers by withholding early finishes and extra breaks because they don’t have kids or don’t smoke. And if you’re going to remember one team member’s birthday, be sure to remember everyone’s birthday! It really is the thought that counts.
Mix It Up With Fun
Break up the monotony with some leisure time – don’t make your team feel that they’re in an endless grind of work, work, work. Introduce ‘Thirsty Thursdays’, a drink at a local pub – a time to get to know each other. Or watch national sporting events in work time – you will more than double your team’s productivity levels afterwards!
Ask For Feedback
Don’t just “be open” to feedback – actively seek it and be sure that your team feel comfortable in being honest with you. Asking your team for feedback, listening to it and then acting on it will help make the workplace a much more comfortable environment for all employees, and in turn, increase staff morale and retention.
Seek Unconscious Bias Training
Many people are good at heart but are a victim of their own unconscious bias, and it may be negatively affecting many parts of their life. Help your team to recognise their own bias and learn the appropriate ways to deal with it, and you’ll be equipping them with a key skill for successfully navigating the workplace AND wider society, whilst stepping on far fewer toes along the way. Our Unconscious Bias Training Programme is a great place to start.
Slow Down
We are at work to do a job but, at the same time, we are all human – not robots. When things have been really busy or hectic, call an impromptu Coffee and Cookies/Tea and Biscuits Break and ask your team to stop, breathe, and take ten. Sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up - it’s been proven time and time again that more breaks lead to increased focus, so lower everyone’s stress levels and give your team the break they need.
At Maze we’re full of ideas to help make your team happier and healthier! If you’d like some more advice on building a strong, successful team by being the best leader you can be, give us a call today and we’ll be happy to help!
Image source: Adobe Stock
