There is a well-known saying...
“Teamwork makes the dream work”
and from my experience, it could not be more accurate.
I have always been a firm believer in looking after your team and by ensuring their work life is as good as you can possibly make it, you will get a better end result which ultimately reflects on you, your business, your brand and your reputation.
So how do you look after your team? This can come in various different forms….
It could be from as little as providing tea and coffee for their breaks, to providing an area for them to have a break/lunch: an area where they can sit down. If you have enough space, provide a small fridge and a microwave so that they have an option to cook/warm food up and keep food chilled.
Always ensure that they know their well-being is important to you, this will bring mutual respect and trust; if they are not feeling well or have a problem that affects their work, ask if they are okay? Do they need to have a break? Do they need to go home? Do they want to talk about it? Always offer to help. They might not accept the offer, but at least you have tried and it brings a level of respect between you both.
Allow your team to have ideas and listen to each other’s ideas too. Having a team of creative minds working together can sometimes clash, but often the best ideas come from collaboration!
As a boss, encourage each and every one of your team members. Remember that recognition is a valuable attribute and counts for so much. Recognition brings motivation and this can be very infectious in a work environment.
Encourage team meetings, allowing each member of the team to have their say. If you are unavailable to be at the meeting, ensure you have a senior member of the team to run the meeting for you. Time is of the essence and you may need to have short meetings before the business opens or at the end of the day. It could be in the local pub or café, wherever it is, it brings you all together in a different space and creates a more relaxed environment for everyone to bond.
Having fun team-building outings is a must too! Make them purely social. It could be going 10 pin bowling, it could be a meal, it could be going go-karting; whatever it is, this is your treat to your team and I promise that this will reap benefits. It is an investment of your time and money, but it is worth it.
Be organised, and be a boss that’s engaged. Involvement is key.
When the team are super busy, bring them little treats - a chocolate bar, an ice cream, a box of biscuits - just something that makes them feel cared for.
Provide a uniform. Not only do you look like a professional business to your customers, it will also put each member of the team on an even keel.
Try to be flexible when members of the team ask for time off, this can be worth its weight in gold; you never know when you may need to ask them to work late or work more hours at a moment’s notice.
The strength of your team comes from within it and that can only shine through if they feel confident in their work capabilities, comfortable with the working environment and have respect for you, their fellow colleagues and your clients.
Mutual respect for each other in the workplace is invaluable and brings with it, motivation.
To have a team that wants to come to work, that wants to achieve their best, that enjoys being at work and is proud of being part of your team is a team that YOU should be incredibly proud of.
A happy team is a positive team, and this will bring your business productive results.
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With over 35 years’ experience, Karen Barnes is one of the UK’s leading consultants to the floral industry and an expert in product development, future trends & colours, and floral photography design & planning. She’s an interior floral designer, high profile wedding and event floral planner, and prominent international competition judge. In a distinguished career, Karen has been awarded gold medals at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, selected to judge two Floral Design World Cups and been voted one of the top ten florists in the UK by The Independent on Sunday Newspaper. Her style and influences come from new and popular flower varieties, fashion, art, travel and emerging trends on a global scale. Karen Barnes NDSF, IoPF, AIFD, CFD, CAFA, UKFJG
