A good rule of thumb is to focus on including employees as an intricate part of your work environment. Today’s economy points to lay offs as well as downsizing; management is no exception.

Let’s face it; today’s economy has many challenges to overcome. The one thought that comes to mind for many of us is;” will I have a job tomorrow?” It not easy to visualize the possibilities of being laid off, but it makes it a little easier to cope with the idea -when management concentrates on teambuilding as a part of the general workplace’s agenda.

Employees are an intricate part of what keeps the company going and should be treated as such until the last straw is pulled. Layoffs and downsizing frequently starts at the top, thus, management needs to look at the entire scenario of managing as a team. Under normal economic conditions, when the team is productive, the management position remains in tact. When the economy dwindles; everyone becomes a possibility of becoming history. We can’t control lay offs, but we can continue to focus on the by-products of a job well done through strong team efforts.

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Some companies have set aside monies for incentives and rewards. If this is not available in your company there are a few things you can do that costs next to nothing.

Team Building Incentives

  • Stay focused on the overall objectives of company policies as a team effort
  • Create a less robotic atmosphere by greeting employees and make them feel apart of the big picture
  • Don’t scorn or criticize while in the presence of others
  • Be tactful when criticizing, making sure you are professional at all times
  • Develop an “employee “of the month or quarter day”. Certificates are inexpensive, but appreciated.
  • Award “Most Improved” certificates to the employees that have improved in reaching the expected output
  • Meet with your team on a regular basis, so as to generate ideas on how you can improve skills needed to accomplish tasks. (This allows for the team to express themselves on negative thoughts they may harbor).
  • Do verbally say “thank you” or “great job” occasionally .Its free!

Remember that you and your team are in this together- If ,and when there is a layoff- employees are apt to feel less of an outcast, as a result of management’s teambuilding efforts and open lines of communications.