Team Building Tips

Due to the professional and personal stress employees face in tough economic times, it can be difficult for managers to maintain balance and set priorities for their overworked staff. Throw in a manager's own production requirements and responsibilities and the task of maintaining a balanced and efficient workplace becomes downright daunting.

Here are five ways managers can maintain team balance and reduce stress:

1. Focus your team on results through clear and concise goals. When everyone is on board and heading in the right direction, unnecessary stress is eliminated. This concept is brought to pixellated life in "Finding Nemo." With only two words, "swim down," Nemo focused the attentions and efforts of hundreds of frantic fish on a clear, unequivocal goal: escaping a one-way trip to seafood section of the grocery store. The unified force of Nemo and his brethren broke the line, released the net and saved them all a fate braised in butter and garnished with lemon. It is a wonderfully animated example of the motivating power of clear and concise goals, and their ability to turn chaos into results.

2. Employ time blocking strategies. Multitasking kills productivity. Though developed as a means of combating the ever increasing complexity of life, multitasking often results in perpetual oscillations between starting and stopping without ever completing a single task. Time-blocking on the other hand, allows employees to start, focus, and finish. Time-blocking involves grouping daily tasks into a handful of categories, and assigning each category a time to be worked on. Time blocking restores an employee's control over their working hours and promotes efficiency and proper prioritization.

3. Show appreciation. Showing your appreciation is the easiest and least costly way to reduce employee stress. Unfortunately, it is also one of the easiest things to forget during hectic times. If showing appreciation isn't a natural strength, schedule a reminder in your calendar.
4. Be spontaneous and have fun. Periodic random activities like a make your own ice-cream party, impromptu lunch at a restaurant, themed gift cards, office olympics, etc. are great ways to create fun energy and break the tension in an environment that is normally stressful. When planning events, be sure to take into account the demographics and gastrointestinal sensitivities of your team.

5. Implement the "Forced Forty." When your team is consistently working 50+ hours a week, forcing them to only work 40 for one week will rejuvenate their spirits and bring motivation back to the team. When elite athletes train for maximum performance, periods of rest play as important a role as periods of pushing one's limits. When a muscle is broken down and stretched to its limits, it is through rest that the fibers are able to adapt and grow stronger for the next challenge. Consider the forced forty as a recharge week. Now that we are entering the new era of PDAs and constant availability, our responsibility to make sure our employees take the necessary down time is becoming more important.

As managers, we rely on our employees to help make our jobs easier. These five tips will help your staff help you.

Laurie LaBrie is the President of Integrated Staffing, Inc. a Professional Employer Organization providing employee benefits, human resources and payroll to businesses throughout Eastern Massachusetts. She is considered Massachusetts' small business human resources expert. Using a human resources risk analysis, she can quickly identify areas of business where you are losing money or have assets at risk. She can be reached at (978) 531-2103 or http://www.integratedstaffing.com