10 Simple Things You Can Do For Your Team Today to Make Their Day Better

Helping your team feel good each day is a role every leader should play. It doesn’t have to be a big thing or complicated. Sometimes the easiest actions can be the most important in helping to create engagement and make each day a little better for everyone. Here are some simple ideas for you to try.

Smile

It may sound a little silly and even too simple to be a real strategy, but give it a try and see what happens. When leaders smile, often they invite conversation and engagement. It creates a friendly environment, and good things tend to happen when people feel comfortable in their surroundings. Simple, but effective.

Say Thank You

It is not just polite, it also shows respect. If someone is doing something for you or someone else and you notice, let them know you appreciate what they are doing. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate acknowledgment, a simple, sincere ‘thank you’ will go a long way in building trust and strengthening relationships.

Better yet - give them a handwritten Thank You card

If you do want to go a step further, or someone has really gone out of their way in supporting someone or something, the gesture of a written note saying ‘thanks’ will be a very positive reinforcement. In a word of digital messages and emojis, taking a few moments to hand write a note will mean a lot to those you recognize — guaranteed engagement booster with a few short strokes of your pen.

Bring in cupcakes - make them, don’t buy them

This may sound a little strange, but some home baking goes a long way. And who doesn’t love cupcakes? It is less about the flavor or even the taste; it is the thought of you taking some of your time to do something nice for the team. It can be a great way to express a little bit of your personal side as well. Perhaps you have a favorite cookie or cupcake recipe from your family. That is a fun thing to talk about and share with the team. Not only do they get to know more about you, but they also get yummy treats as well.

Celebrate success with the group

I don't know anyone who doesn’t like to feel successful. Not everyone expresses it the same way or requires recognition with a big celebration, but everyone does like to know they are part of something that is creating wins. When you have success - regardless of its size - SHARE IT. Ensure everyone knows that a goal was completed, a significant milestone reached, or a sales target achieved. It is a perfect time to recognize everyone's effort, reflect on what went well, and start encouraging everyone for the next step to success.

Spend lunch with them

This one does not need to be a formal invitation to a lunch or anyplace specific. Simply spending some time in the break room with a member or two of the team will go a long way. Use the time to talk about something other than work or current projects. Get to know your team and share more about yourself. It is amazing how spending some time, regardless of how long, with the team over lunch, can create different levels of engagement and connection.

Ask about their hobbies

If you are not sure what to talk about during that lunch, ask them about their hobbies and what they like to do outside of work. Few people don’t like to talk about things they enjoy doing. Having these simple, short conversations can help you understand your team better and find out many different aspects of their life. This can encourage ongoing interactions and engagement as well as ways to integrate some of their interests into the job itself. Someone who is a movie buff might enjoy those movie tickets as a reward for a job well done much more than the person who loves to spend time outdoors and go hiking.

Let them leave early - pay for the full shift

I realize that some people may disagree with this next one or gasp in horror that I might suggest that we let someone leave for the day early, yet continue to pay the full shift’s wage. But, imagine how the associate feels when you present to them, ‘you’ve done a great job today. We got many things accomplished because of your hard work. We are even ahead of schedule - why don’t you take the last 2 hours of your shift to enjoy some extra time with your friends or family and I will ensure you get paid for those last 2 hours.” Once they recover from the stunning offer, I am certain they will appreciate the gesture. If we are willing to provide a set of movie tickets for $20-25, why wouldn’t we pay someone an extra 2 hours for essentially the same amount? (And this comes from someone who has spent the better part of the last 15 years managing the payroll budget for regions and companies)

Give them a gift card for a dinner for two

Going beyond just the team members and taking spouses and friends into consideration is an excellent way to make your associate’s day. The more you can personalize this the better. One of the best ways this can be executed is to send a note and gift card to the home address to both the associate and their significant other. Realizing that top performers also have excellent support structures at home is a nice way to recognize the family efforts involved. This one doesn’t just help to build loyalty and engagement with the associate, but their family as well.

Have an ‘Ask Me Anything’ session

I like having open dialogue sessions with the team. Take all the rules the off, set aside plenty of time and open up the floor. Allowing the team to ask any questions they have and then answering as transparently as possible will build a deeper connection with the team and strengthen the trust bonds.Most of these ideas can be implemented with little extra effort. Take a little time to plan ahead for the ones that require it. Others should merely become part of what you do each day - smile, say thank you, asking about hobbies - no planning or extra effort required for these. Each of these will put a smile on your team’s face and build a foundation that leads to much more than that.How can you incorporate some or all of these into what you are doing with your team? Share your thoughts in the comments section.Join other retail leaders in continuing their development journey with Effective Retail Leader.com. SUBSCRIBE today to receive leadership tips directly to your inbox and monthly newsletters that provide many tools to help further develop your leadership skills. JOIN NOW!No spam ever - just leadership goodness.Photo by Alan Hurt Jr. on Unsplash