Demonstrating your love for your team is not so very different from demonstrating your love in a personal relationship. We’re all people dealing with people after all.
Read our top tips on how you can show your love and appreciation for your team:
1. Listen to your team, as individuals and collectively
We all want to be listened to. Proper listening where it means you are taking on board exactly what they are asking for and genuinely taking time to understand how they feel and what they mean. This is bigger than paying lip service to listening.
2. Actions speak louder than words
Small actions that demonstrate gratitude amount to big wins. There is a great pleasure in being given a gift unexpectedly even when it is relatively small and inexpensive such as flowers. Cake has become a fairly standard treat in the office though this was thrown into conflict recently by the Food Standards Agency advising it to be banned for health reasons – but it’s up to you to make your own judgement on this!
3. Express your gratitude!
Just as we like to be thanked for emptying the dishwasher or putting out the laundry to dry, verbal acknowledgement of a job well done is important to employees too. If you want to know they feel the love then take time to personally thank each individual for their contributions. If your employees demonstrate consistent loyalty to the company, high levels of performance or innovative ideas – tell them how great they are! Take time to tell them personally, and to let others in the organisation know that you recognise and acknowledge their performance for the company.
4. The gift of time
Rewarding employees with extra time off might be an option that you can consider. Do you offer an annual ‘duvet day’ for those days when an individual can’t face work for a reason they can’t clearly identify or don’t want to discuss? Have you considered offering time off for ‘community volunteering’ which is great for wellbeing?
6. Opportunities for growth
A recent article in The Times showed how low our £ spend on training per employee is in the UK compared to other European nations. To show that we genuinely care about our people, we need to give them the privilege of training and development. As individuals being granted new skills and knowledge is so rewarding – we are born to learn and grow. It demonstrates that you as an employer care about them and is also a great asset for company retention.
Show your love by setting them free….delegate! The delegation that is granted with authority to act is good for both parties.
7. Celebrate your successes!
There are few couples who wouldn’t go out of their way to celebrate a 10-year anniversary or a big birthday in the family and employers need to do exactly the same. Hold team celebrations for key events, small and large. Find a way to celebrate that is inclusive and different.
Retaining your best talent with a positive and engaged workforce is an important part of your growth and expansion process and with the right support, you will always be one step ahead of the competition. If you want help with any of the above or building a reward package and strategy, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly and experienced team: hello@hrrevolution.co.uk.
