By Nimesh Shah, Marketing Director at Feel Good Contacts
We’re stepping into March and things don’t seem to be going to plan with your city team. You’ve noticed that they’ve been coming to work and going through the motions. They’ve lost their New Year drive and you don’t know why. It’s frustrating because you know how great they can be.
How do you get them out of this March slump?
Nimesh Shah from Feel Good Contacts offers some insights on how to get that spark back:
Are you part of the problem?
You may be in a leadership position now but once upon a time you were in a junior role and had stars in your eyes. Now, focus on your ex-boss and try to remember all the things s/he did to annoy you. Then try to banish all the negative behaviours you may have picked up from your previous bosses.
Spread positive vibes
Create a lighter atmosphere by smiling, laughing and from time to time participate in conversation that’s not always work related. Try to build rapport with the staff that you worked so hard to recruit for your dream team.
Go back to the 80s
Transport yourself back to a 1980’s office setting. Instead of firing off e-mails try picking up the phone and talking to your employees. It would be even better if you could walk across the office and have a face to face discussion.
The ripple effect
If you check your emails 24/7 then try to break out of this habit. This is because employees will feel under pressure to do the same. We are well aware of how bad screen time can be for your health. If you want employees to come to work feeling fresh and raring to start the day, try to encourage healthy working habits.
Make a point of taking a proper lunch break and tell your team to do the same. Do this and you and your team will feel refuelled and rested and you’ll all be much more productive in the afternoon.
Leavism, let’s leave it behind
Leavism has been labelled as the new scourge of working life. This is where employees take their annual leave to catch up on their backlog of work and check emails to keep on top of things. The aim is to appear keen and competitive and to keep their job secure. As the boss, you should be encouraging your staff to take their annual leave to rest and enjoy their well-earned break. Whilst they are on annual leave you should not bother them with emails. When they get back, they’ll be invigorated. You need to emulate this behaviour by taking your annual leave and staying away from your emails to show the team that you trust them to get on with the job.
Let’s talk about trust
Talking about trust, no one likes to be micromanaged and controlled. Let your staff own their work. I’m not suggesting a complete hands-off approach. Instead be available and supportive but given staff autonomy. Do this and engagement levels will be boosted.
I hear you
To empower employees, managers must listen to their workforce. It’s important to hear their ideas and take their opinions into account. Besides, the personnel benefits, the business will also benefit, by expecting the best from your staff, you’ll get the best from them.
Conclusion
There isn’t a one size fits all approach to dealing with low employee morale during a March slump. You control the office environment and culture so it’s vital to make staff feel valued, call them by their names, make eye contact when talking to them and personally say thank you. By making small changes, you will gain a harmonious and driven workforce.
About the author
Nimesh Shah is Marketing Director at Feel Good Contacts. He studied Economics at university before making the decision to drop out. Armed with an entrepreneurial spirit, he went on to form his own boutique digital marketing agency, before eventually joining Feel Good Contacts in 2018.
Nimesh oversees all marketing operations for the company which involves working closely with the customer services team, IT department, warehouse operations as well as the marketing team. Commenting on his role he says: “no two days at Feel Good Contacts are the same. Each department represents a piece of a bigger puzzle and one has to make sure they’re all running smoothly. I could be in our warehouse overseeing operations one day or discussing strategies with marketing on another. It’s a challenge but worth it when you see results.”
