Happy Team (Part 2)

Continuing on from where we left part one, I’m going to share three more ideas that will help keep any team happy.

Listen

How often do we genuinely listen when we ask “How’s it going?” or “How was your day?” to someone we work with? I’m willing to bet it’s rarely, and I admit, I’m just as guilty as the next person, but this needs to change. When you’re browsing the net as someone is talking to you, or checking your messages on your phone you’re not really listening, and we all know it. We all get frustrated when we know someone isn’t listening properly, so why do we do it when the roles are reversed?

Next time someone you work with walks in on Monday morning and you ask “How was your weekend?” try to really listen and show them that you care. If you’re feeling really nice ask them a question about something they did, you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.

80/20

The 80/20 system is where employees are allowed to spend 80% of their time on core work and 20% of their time on innovation and learning about something that interests them.

In my mind this system has many benefits including encouraging people to produce great products, generate awesome ideas and most importantly (in my mind) learn new skills — or in other words; it encourages personal growth. This growth is important as when we grow mentally we alter our perception of everything around us and having a unique angle or thought process can be the point of difference a business needs to succeed. For an example I do know of a little company that utilise the 80/20 system. They’re called Google and they seem to do alright for themselves.

Have Fun

If you’re producing good work and your customers are happy why not have some fun? Take the afternoon off to have a beer at the local pub, get everyone around a computer to watch the video of a cat falling in a box, no matter what you do, just make sure everyone has a laugh! There’s plenty of time for serious business so make sure when you get the chance to do something fun, you do it, nothing makes people feel better than a good laugh and a smile on their face.

As The Joker so eloquently put it; why so serious?