Nibletz Staff
When you run a business, there is always something to be thinking about. If you aren’t keeping a close eye on your accounts and finances, you have issues with staff. If your team is not playing up, then they aren’t achieving their targets or doing their jobs properly. It’s always one headache after another. But, running your own business has some amazing perks. It can be very rewarding both financially and for your ambition and goals in life. However, the IT department is probably one place where, as a business owner, you focus the least amount of time and effort on. It should take care of itself. But, this is where most business owners and entrepreneurs are missing a trick. So I thought I would share with you some of the ways you can boost the morale of your IT department team members.
Be a positive influence
Sometimes the way you talk and act can have a huge effect on the people around you. This is the same as at home as well as in business. So remaining positive within the workplace is a sure fire way to boost the morale of your team members. The positive vibe will rub off on them, and before they know it, they will be talking and acting in a more positive manner. Positivity in the workplace is a great morale booster. When everyone feels positive, the atmosphere can be much nicer to work in. Negativity can be a real mood breaker, and just as much as positivity can spread, so can the negativity. As the leader of the business, it is down to you to set the tone. It would always be advisable to be the positive influence to get the most out of your team.
Ask your staff for feedback
Talking to your IT department and asking for feedback is a great of making each team member feel valued. As the business owner, you could have a little tunnel vision when it comes to visualizing what needs to be done in the workplace. Plus, as mentioned earlier, with all the departments you need to work with it’s easy to leave people behind. Accepting feedback from the team members could provide you with excellent insight. While making each member feel part of the bigger picture. Who know’s their feedback and ideas could help your business make progress. It’s worth spending the time and communicate.
Create individual growth plans for team members
Each team member will have their ambitions and goals that they want to achieve. However, it can be easy for them to feel deflated if they aren’t taken seriously. Within an IT department, they may feel like they only can progress so much, which could also have a negative impact on their work ethics. Sitting down with your IT members and working out a plan of action to achieve their individual goals and ambitions will increase morale like you wouldn’t believe. They will instantly feel like their contribution each day is heading towards something. A great thing to include in work plans is a training schedule. Training can help hone skills, and add to their work productivity. Courses like http://www.simplilearn.com/it-hardware-and-networking/ccnp-training are one of the things you could consider.
Encourage the lunch break
These days so many people work through their lunch breaks. It’s seen as being the thing to do. But what that can do is tire out your employee and make them less productive throughout the day. So don’t promote working every minute possible. Why not encourage the lunch break? You could advise your IT department to take themselves away from their computer screens and spend some time to themselves. It’s known that staff members are much more productive with full stomachs and a chance to get some fresh air. IT staff members spend 90% of their time in front a computer screen. Allowing their eyes and mind a little screen-free time will increase the morale of the team members. It will make them more productive for the afternoon.
Show you care
Show empathy towards your staff members. Especially in a forgotten department like IT. It will make the staff feel much more valued. This could be in special circumstances. Like allowing leave if a child or family member is unwell. Or sympathizing with a personal situation that may be causing your team member to feel upset or down. Another way to show you care is by remembering birthdays or special work milestones. Maybe an IT employee has been working for you for a long time. Show you care by making a big deal of this. The sense of pride they will feel will boost morale. Also, other team members will see how you treat them and feel a valued part of the team and journey. Which will increase work productivity.
Promote from within
A great workforce will always feel a lift in morale when other team members get promoted. Promoting within will give your staff something to aim for. They will feel like their work is heading toward something. It can be part of their work plan. These days employees need and want to get ahead in their careers. So promoting within can make that happen. It means that they feel that they are working towards something.
Say thank you
Finally, just a simple thank you can be enough to boost someone’s morale. Working in IT can be one of the least thankless departments. They do what they do and without having too much focus on it from managers above. This is because most likely your IT department will just tick along nicely. Making a point to say the words “thank you” for all the hard work or perhaps for completely a project will make them feel like a valued member.
It doesn’t take much to increase morale. Especially in a department like iT that ticks along without any need for intervention. But if the department can work like that now. Without you taking much notice. Imagine the possibilities and productivity by simply increasing morale will do to it.
