Every organisation has its busy periods, and the lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time, especially during a pandemic! This particularly applies to those in the retail, hospitality and healthcare sectors. Employees will be revving up for a busier than usual time and will therefore need to look after themselves. Managers should be open to implementing some initiatives to keep a smile on employees faces, and help them unwind during a hectic day.
Our suggestions include;
- More frequent breaks – This can do wonders for physical and mental fatigue and help the employee be more engaged when they return to work.
- Be present – Teams may be dealing with difficult customers and tricky situations. As a manager it is important to be available when your colleagues need back up. Hold a weekly or monthly 121 with your team members and have an open door policy. Be approachable!
- Enhanced staff room facilities – Add a television, pool table or video games to help team members chill out between shifts. A sunlight lamp in the staff room can give sufferers of SAD a boost!
- Team challenges – Help teams bond by holding the occasional baking contest, best Christmas jumper, photo competitions, quizzes or even a steps challenge to encourage fitness!
- If possible, offer free hot drink facilities and snacks in the break room; a sticky doughnut or start a ‘fruity Friday’.
- Covid rules permitting, introduce social events to help colleagues vent and get to know each other. This can result in them feeling more comfortable together, bringing a better working dynamic and an overall smoother running of the workplace. It doesn’t need to be pub-related! Try an early morning team walk or a coffee at a cafe.
- Fun social media posts, giving praise to how hard the team are working or sharing an employee’s recent achievement.
- If appropriate, allow autonomy within your teams’ roles. This helps an employee develop and have a feeling of pride.
- Recognising individual strengths and offering training and development opportunities. Envisioning new prospects for the future can instantly boost morale and encourage motivation.
- If you have employees who are still home working, make sure to invite them to team meetings, events or challenges, online or in person, and make sure they feel involved and valued. If you buy the team at work treats, remember to offer a similar gesture for those working at home!
How can Ashton People Solutions help?
We can create employee surveys to send to your team to gauge the general feeling and identify areas which could be improved. We can also design and host team away days and training sessions for your staff to attend. Besides this we are always a phone call away should you need advice for someone who is struggling or you are dealing with a conflict within your team.
Drop us a line on 01352 878535 or info@ashtonpeoplesolutions.co.uk if you want to chat about any of the above!
