So, you have made the leap and opened new offices. Whether you have taken your workforce with you, expanded it, or are starting from the very beginning, it is important to get your workforce to work together.
Working together and acting as one can allow you to put forward a united front as a company. This is key to developing your brand and the first impression it gives to potential customers. Here are some ways you can help your workforce to act in unison.
Communications Systems
If you are moving into new offices, why not enhance your new office with a new communications system? A unified system can make it much easier and quicker to find and share information. Instead of having to search through multiple different applications, your workforce will be able to work and communicate through one single platform, even when working from home. This will save you money, increase productivity, and encourage the exchange of information and collaborative working.
Regular Feedback Sessions
Like a relationship, communication is key in the workplace. This needs to be nurtured and worked on as a team. When changes or problems arise, this must be communicated to your workforce, and any feedback or suggestions need to be communicated to you. In order for this to work there should be a level of trust between everyone, and a friendly rapport.
Team Building
And no, we don’t mean trust falls (unless that’s what you like). Team building exercises help the team learn about each other — how each person thinks, works, solves problems, and has fun. Whether its training days where you all share food together, a celebratory drink for your new offices, or even something crazy like white water rafting, it is important your workforce gets to know one another. By allowing them to bond, you will create a sense of camaraderie which will give your company’s productivity a boost.
Mental Health
At this time, mental health is more important than ever. Make sure to check in with your workforce and create a space where they can be honest about their feelings. It might be that you need to put some extra protections in place to allow your workforce to act as one. If one member of your team is not feeling their best, the whole team morale will take a hit. Approach these issues with sensitivity and empathy, as this will increase their overall trust in you and your company. Plus, it is important to be nice simply just because!
There are many ways for your workforce to act as one even when opening new offices, with only a few mentioned here. The one thing all of these strategies have in common is communication. Whether it is making sure everyone communicates face-to-face, or employing software to ensure communication is efficient over the phone and the internet, communication is the key to having a united workforce.
Opening new offices can be an exciting yet daunting experience, and so it’s fundamental you take all necessary precautions to keep you team feeling as though they really are a team.
