In any business, there will always be ups and downs. The ups are fun and enjoyable, but the downs can bring down team morale and lower productivity.
Unfortunately, burnout is relatively common in New Zealand, with one study showing that 31% of Kiwis are dangerously close to burning out, or are already there.
Therefore, building resilience and avoiding low morale and burnout should be a common goal for business managers and leaders in Aotearoa.
Here are some of the best ways to build resilience in your team.
Build connections within the team
One way to improve resilience is to foster connections within the team. This can help individuals feel much more connected to their colleagues, providing a level of support with those who understand the stressors of the job the best.
Leaders can get creative with their team building activities, with anything from pizza parties on Friday afternoons to setting up a games room to encourage staff to relax together during breaks.
Drinks after work can be a great way to build connections, but keep in mind that not everyone may want to drink or spend time with coworkers outside of work hours.
Provide warning
If you as a leader know that there is a tough time coming up, be honest and provide your team with advance warning.
Whether it’s a time of heavy workload, a difficult project, or something else, giving forewarning can help your team to mentally prepare. They may also be able to organise their personal lives around the stressful times to try to avoid added stress at home, as well.
Also be sure to take whatever steps you can to alleviate the stress during this time, and share with your team your actions so they know you are doing whatever you can to minimise the challenges.
Spend time listening
Whether in group meetings or one-on-ones, managers and leaders can learn a lot and support their staff by listening more than they speak.
Ask your team what’s causing the most stress, why they are worried about it, and if they have any ideas for how to fix it.
Even if it’s not within your power to provide a solution, listening will at least show that you do care about the issues and would like to make improvements. In many cases, having a boss who is ‘on their side’ will at least help staff to feel supported during challenging times.
Of course, they may also have valuable ideas that could lessen the burden for everyone.
Provide growth opportunities
Sometimes, employees can feel burnt out or lack motivation for the job when it feels monotonous. If every day is the same slog with nothing new on the horizon, it can be easy for anyone to lose interest in their daily tasks.
To help battle the monotony, provide your staff with opportunities for upskilling and training. Perhaps you have senior staff who can offer coaching for newer team members, or perhaps you can bring in specialists to help upskill your team.
One great option is to give workers the choice of courses to take with Study From Work. Our online programmes allow employees to earn NZQA-approved micro-credentials such as qualifications in financial planning and analysis, human resources, management and strategic planning, and communications.
These highly accessible online courses can be completed at any time, while also providing your team members with valuable upskilling, and helping your workplace to grow with motivated, qualified professionals.
Download our Employer Guide to Study From Work to learn more about our qualifications and how they can help with your staffing and human resources. Or get in touch with any questions today.
Study From Work – info@studyfromwork.co.nz 021 623753