We’ve all been there: the dreaded work slump. Whether you call it spring fever or the 3 p.m. crash, this dip in productivity can derail your employees and lead to stress as a result of having to work even harder to catch up later on. All companies can suffer from this decline in performance, particularly around the holiday season or when temperatures warm up in the spring. Even though this decline in performance can be quite common, it can also be detrimental to your business.
A prolonged lapse in productivity can cost your company money and lead to employees feeling less satisfied with their jobs. For your business to be as successful as possible, all your workers should be consistently performing at high levels, but how do you achieve that when your workers are burned out and counting down for the clock to strike five?
Rock Paper Team has seven ways to improve performance at work from making employees feel valued to participating in team building activities for work.
1. Give employees a reason to believe
Company culture is becoming more and more important to the workforce, especially in regards to younger employees. No one wants to go to work every day for a faceless company – they want to know who they are working for, what the company’s values are and how they play a part in the company culture. Remind employees that they’re an important part of the company and give them a reason to believe in your business’ values. When people know what and who they are working for then they will be happier and more productive during business hours.
2. Never underestimate the power of a reward
Even when employees feel bogged down, one of the easiest ways to improve performance at work is by rewarding employees for a job well done. Whether it’s a small victory, a big accomplishment or even just the end of the week, employees will appreciate a little extra encouragement. Sporting events and office lunches can be great ways to reward the people who work for you or, if you’re looking for something a little more interactive and tailored to your company, Rock Paper Team’s food and wine team building events are a great way to reward employees in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.
3. Foster a team environment
It’s easy for employees to get wrapped up in their work and focus solely on the part they play at the office, but this will not help your company live up to its full potential. Working together in a collaborative environment brings out new opinions and ways of thinking, which can result in some great ideas for your company! Also, when people see themselves as part of a team with everyone working toward a common goal, performance often increases. Rock Paper Team offers corporate team building activities like our interactive workshops, which bring companies together and foster both individual and group development. Participants are encouraged to improve their teamwork skills and foster a new awareness of their team’s potential. Plus, they get to have fun while they’re doing it!
4. Show employees you care
No employee wants to be just another name in a set of paperwork – they want to feel valued by the company they work for. Celebrate personal occasions in your workers’ lives like birthdays, anniversaries, marriages and new children. It doesn’t have to be a huge event (we know how hard that can be for larger companies), but even just a simple card or a small gift can go a long way in making employees feel cared for. When people feel appreciated by their company, they are more likely to perform better at work.
5. Encourage open communication
Sometimes, employee performance levels sink because of a communication issue. If co-workers don’t feel comfortable discussing new ideas or voicing their opinions, it can hinder workflow. Communication really is the key to a happy and productive work environment. Our photo scavenger hunt team building activities are the perfect way to encourage open communication between employees while letting them have some fun too! Our scavenger hunts get teams working together to solve problems and come up with creative ways to complete all the requirements on their list. The best part about participating in these kinds of team building events is that the communication skills gained will carry over into business hours as well!
6. Encourage innovation
Technology is constantly shifting. With all the new gadgets, processes and software coming out each day, it can be difficult to keep up. Constantly having to learn a new system can be challenging for employees, but fixing broken processes and finding new ways to save time and money can really benefit the entire company. Encourage your employees to get creative and search for better ways of doing things by encouraging innovation at work. When they do discover a new strategy, it will help everyone in the office become more productive!
7. Bring on the fun
When all else fails, having fun together is the cure for everything. If your employees are feeling burned-out, it is probably time to get out of the office and blow off some steam! There are endless ways to have fun with your employees, but we think our corporate team building activities are the best of both worlds (even if we are a little biased). Our dance team building events will have co-workers moving and shaking together, and that always leads to a lot of laughs! Having fun together encourages bonding, and these bonds lead to better working relationships in the office as well. No matter which type of activity you choose to participate in, having fun together will certainly improve employee performance at work.
Don’t Let a Lapse in Performance Get You Down
It may feel like it at times, but a lapse in employee performance won’t last forever. Whether it’s finding a creative way to thank your employees for all of their hard work or using a corporate team building activity to develop new skills and help co-workers bond, you are only a few steps away from turning employees back into the killer teammate they are. If you need more inspiration for improving work performance or want to chat about the team building events we offer, contact us today. Building strong teams is our passion and we are always here to help!