Whether you have a small staff of dedicated employees or a large staff that’s broken into departments, every boss and leader wants to cultivate a happy, productive, creative, successful team. But, is there a tried and true method? Probably not. Every team depends on the unique personalities, talents, and interests of the individual staff and how they relate with one another and the customers they serve. That said, there are a few things every boss or leader can keep in mind that are sure to help foster the kind of positive, successful work environment we all desire. Here are a few things we like to keep in mind at Safeguard!
Cultivating Team Productivity
Say one of your employees has a great idea, one that’s never been tried before, but might just make the difference between selling a few products and selling thousands of products. But the employee is scared — he remembers what happened the last time an employee came up with a wacky and weird idea. That idea flopped, badly, and the employee was reprimanded for his failure. This is a stifling, fearful environment, where great ideas are likely to lay dormant.
But let’s say you, the boss, encourage your employees to fail. “The more failures the better!” you say, because you know that it’s more important to run with an idea on the chance that it might succeed spectacularly than lay around with no ideas at all. This kind of environment not only fosters creativity, it also allows your employees to thrive within their talents and enjoyments. In other words, it creates successful team productivity.
Set an example
So you want your employees to always solve the customer’s problem, no matter what. That’s a great principle to work by! But what if your employees see their boss slacking off while a customer stands idly by the register, waiting for someone to check him out? Likely, your employees will start following your lead, regarding their own interests when they should be taking care of customers. Don’t just tell your staff what to do. Show them. Set a good example for them to follow.
Collaborate. Collaborate. Collaborate.
Every once in a while, an individual employee will come up with an amazing idea that blows you out of the water. Usually, however, the ideas we come up with on our own are just so-so. But when you start bouncing a so-so idea off the rest of your team, it can start to morph, and what began as mediocre might snowball into a truly great idea. How does this come about? Through collaboration! Don’t isolate your team from one another. Rather, encourage them to work together to make something fantastic your customers will love.
Have some fun!
Sometimes, work can be a drag. Even those who love their jobs often go through periods of disillusionment or annoyance with it. And if one member of the team is feeling down or stressed, it’s likely to rub off on the others. Be aware of the emotional and psychological health of your team. When they’re feeling stressed, help lighten the mood by encouraging a little fun. When they’re feeling down, take a long lunch or an early Friday off. Keep the job fun. Enjoy being with one another. When your customers see you having a good time, they’ll wonder what your company is all about and want to be in on it!
Try Safeguard!
Has the information on our blog helped you to improve team productivity? We can do more! A Safeguard consultant can help you with marketing solutions, print product design, and more. Contact us for a consultation.