Whether or not you’re a new year’s resolutions kind of person, a new year is a great way of marking a fresh start in all areas, including at work. Especially with the past few years we’ve had, many struggle with finding motivation as the days get shorter and another year comes to an end.
Keeping team morale high is really important in ensuring efficient and high-quality work is being done. If choosing the best candidate for the job is the first hurdle in building a strong team, then once you’ve got your team assembled, you need to shift your focus on keeping everyone happy and motivated to continue working hard.
As we approach 2022, here are some things you can do to boost morale in your office and get your team excited to crush it in the new year.
Express Gratitude
Everyone loves feeling like they’re appreciated and that others are thankful for the work that they do. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude not only feels great for the person on the receiving end, but it also has psychological benefits for the one expressing it.
Ensuring that your team members know that they are valued and that you are grateful for them will help inspire them to continue to work hard. You can do this by verbally expressing gratitude to each team member or throwing an office party to celebrate everyone’s work.
Adopt a Work-Life Balance That Works for Your Team
After several months of remote work, many people have come to revaluate what’s important for them when it comes to a career. Some people found that working from home allowed them to be much more productive and develop a healthier work-life balance. Others, however, missed the structure that going into the office gave their lives and found it difficult to spend so much time at home.
It’s important to listen to your employees’ needs and develop a strategy that works best for everyone on the team. If people feel like their needs are being heard and met, they will be more motivated to work hard and exceed their goals.
Focus on Team Building
A team that is comfortable with each other is a team that succeeds. Knowing and trusting your team members is so important for having a successful business as people will feel like they have people to reach out to whenever they need to.
In order to foster strong working relationships between your team members, it is important to incorporate team-building exercises into your schedule. This is especially important for teams that are still working remotely and that have members that may have yet to meet anyone in person.
Team building can take several forms, from out of office gatherings to encouraging team members to take coffee and lunch breaks together. No matter how you approach it, by feeling like they are on a strong and supportive team, employees will feel more confident in their work and thus will have a greater desire to work hard.
