Originally featured on eHotelier

 

Teamwork is key!

Recruiting the right people for your team is a very important step to being successful, but you can’t and shouldn’t stop there. Just like any relationship, it takes work to maintain it. While you may not buy flowers for an employee, take long walks on the beach together or take them out on dates, there are steps companies can take to help the team connect. Teamwork can lead to increased productivity, heighten motivation and encourage open problem solving. Teamwork is key to a successful team.

Building it, however, isn’t always so easy. Here’s some steps to consider.

Leaders should maintain focus on how their team functions together, employee productivity and team building. Perks and rewards can aide in the team building department and a close team tends to work harder for each other, as well as for their own success.

Check-ins: Water cooler talk is a thing for a reason. It’s not necessarily about gossip, but more about building a relationship. It’s important to go out of your way and talk to your team. Ask an employee to walk to the coffee shop or to go for a quick lunch. Not only can you make more of a connection, but they may open up about new ideas or even issues they are tackling that they may be too afraid to share in a group setting.

Every other Friday (or Monday, it works just as well): While summer hours are fun it’s even better to get a short work week with a three-day weekend. The idea here is to work a long week and the next work week will be shorter. If having a full day off doesn’t work then maybe a half-day. This will help your team feel a little bit more rested on the shorter weeks and more driven on the long weeks. Not only can this make it so they can plan mini vacations without taking time off, but doctor appointments and other things like getting the oil changed. Same idea works here – discuss in the spring and if the employees meet their quotas then this could be put in place. This won’t work for teams where employees are on pips or missing their goals by quite a bit.

Game time: If your team needs a little bit of bonding then send them to a sports game. There’s something about baseball and the fact that the games take hours that can help the team bond. Navigating the parking lot or a metro, finding the seats and the food/bar involves teamwork. And then there’s always the potential for festivities before and/or after the game. In most places it isn’t too expensive to get tickets for a mid season weekday game. It may not even matter the teams that are playing. A team that plays together works well together.

Scavenger hunts: A well-planned scavenger hunt around your city is another way to help your team bond, have a little fun and learn about the city. This comes in handy when guests need recommendations on what to do in a new city. This kind of activity encourages teamwork. It might even be helpful if they quit the scavenger hunt together. These types of events can have lasting effects, easily leading to bonding because the team can see each other on an equal level, as real people. It can also help the team figure out how to work better together. If a team gets along, it makes it easier to spend more time together, this is especially important when working on deadlines or peak season. The team is more likely to work a little bit harder for each other.

Flex hours/staggered shift option: Coming in early to leave early or later to leave later can really help productivity. Some of the time, either early or late, will be quiet and uninterrupted. So not only will the employee be happy, because they got to make that doctor’s appointment, hit the gym, just sleep in or make happy hour, but they’ll also be able to focus better. Those few hours catching up can be priceless.

Volunteer: Yet another way to bond with your team and be part of the community. Vote on a cause and spend a workday helping out. This can also be added to your website or social media accounts.

Work from home: If the job allows it, let your team members work from home, one day a week and/or one week a year. It’s a great opportunity to schedule the cable guy or be home with a sick kiddo. This helps out your employee while keeping them productive.

Sweet treat: Nothing better than a snow cone, ice cream or cold fruit to cool you off at the office. On cooler days, hot cocoa or tea can do the trick. Just a random nice thing you can do for the hard working team.

Happy hour: Yes, these still work and probably always will. Anything that takes you into a relaxed setting where management can learn more about the team.

Sweat it out: Invite your employees to tag along with you to your yoga class, boot camp, on a walk or even a run. Getting healthy can be a bonding experience. Plus a healthier team will have more energy to greet guests and tackle issues that may pop up.

Offer more: Try to offer up training or mentoring to those that aren’t successful. If you have an employee that is working hard, but can’t seem to succeed, offer up your time to shadow them to figure out where they are going wrong. They’ll be even more thankful when they are able to move forward.

Gone are the days of 40 hour work weeks. Most career focused employees respond to emails while outside of the office and take last minute meetings or work late to make business happen. Providing a few opportunities for team bonding will make work better and the team will happily keep coming back.