Managing a company has many factors. You spend time marketing products, increasing sales and keeping everything running smoothly. Although these are all vital parts of a successful business, perhaps the most challenging yet most rewarding responsibility is to build team morale and increase unity across all sections of the business. Leaders and employees alike need a good company culture where they can thrive and become more efficient. Creating this can be challenging, especially for remote workers and large companies. Here are five ways you can use to unite your team.
1. Get To Know Each Other
Everyone has different situations and life circumstances. As you begin to trust your team more, start to learn about them and their backgrounds. You may have a few veterans or military families working for you. They may be looking at VA loan rates or searching for scholarships for their education. Check up on their progress and support them not only in their work but in their lives. Once the team feels more like a family, there will be less contention and lack of communication. Consider making quizzes or games that help everyone break the ice and get to know each other. Adding a human connection to work can make it exciting and enjoyable for all members of the team.
2. Encourage Communication
One of the best ways to be on the same page as your workers is to communicate openly and freely. Create an atmosphere at work where people feel free to express concerns or share ideas with one another. Use group apps or messaging services so that people can know what’s going on even when they’re not at work. One way you can improve the communication people already exchange is by having leadership training for your managers. Teach them how to reach employees and build trust. Emphasize the importance of creating a work atmosphere that is comfortable yet challenging. The way managers interact with the rest of the employees can make a big difference. When you give the responsibility of uniting your company to the leaders on your team, you’ll have more support and power to help your company.
3. Optimize Meetings
Meetings are often seen as a waste of time. You can change this by optimizing the meetings. Get the agenda out quickly, be efficient in your presentations, and open the table up for discussion. These opportunities can be very effective and they can also be a great opportunity to bond with the team. Help the meeting be a collaborative effort so everyone feels involved and invested in the time spent together.
4. Give Feedback Often
Another key element of communication and unification is feedback. Your employees want to know how you and their managers feel about the work they do. Give constructive advice to them frequently and avoid criticizing or shutting them down. Help them see the good they do for the company. Encourage them to give feedback as well. Use anonymous surveys, encourage comments and help them feel the importance of adding their voice to the team.
5. Offer Rewards
Hard work deserves to be appreciated. Help employees feel that you have recognized their work by offering rewards. This could be a luncheon at the end of the month, a work party or a giveaway. Rewards help show your gratitude for the effort of your workers and they also become opportunities to bond and grow closer to each other. Get creative and build your rewards around the people you work with.
As you build and develop a work environment that is friendly, positive and productive, you’ll also be creating a work culture that employees love. Everyone wants to enjoy their job. Even if their position isn’t their dream job, they can love and appreciate the way your business treats them. Be extra attuned to your workers’ needs and find ways to reach out and unify them. Be open to tweak and change your strategy depending on what works and doesn’t work. In no time, you can see a difference in the way people interact at work.
