H O W T O B U I L D A B E T T E R T E A M B O N D A S A M A N A G E R K E V I N X U

• As a manager, recruiting talent is a whole task in itself, especially for a small business.

• But once you’ve assembled a solid group, getting these creative minds and dedicated personalities to work cohesively requires some nurturing as well.

• Some employees of yours may not be as social as others in the workplace, while others have schedules that just don’t coincide with the daily agenda of the majority.

• To establish a more productive an environment, implement a few practices or activities that will push your team towards creating a better bond.

C O M PA N Y O U T I N G S

• Team-building activities are perfect for getting employees to work together and they prove effective in allowing individuals get to know one another better.

• Although not everyone is comfortable in these types of settings so making your company outings a social event can be much more relaxing.

• Consider taking team lunches to take an hour out of the day and talk about non-work related matters.

• Startups with sales driven initiatives may offer company happy hours periodically if goals are met.

E N C O U R A G E R E L AT I O N S H I P S &

T R U S T

• Many office places are often strained by the pressing demand to meet deliverables, so much that they’re void of the human aspect.

• Efficiency comes first, but in route to creating a more productive team, building the camaraderie aspect is a major proponent of that.

• As a manager you should encourage working relationships among employees and trust that they can work and still interact at a comfortable level with those around them at the right times.

• Allowing employees to take an extended lunch or an occasional work from home day helps establish trust between co-workers.

M E E T R E G U L A R LY

• The best way to understand your employees is to meet with them on a regular basis.

• You’ll have to determine how periodically this will happen without disrupting your team’s workflow.

• But whether it’s a monthly one-on-one session or a lunch meeting, keeping communication open allows for a better bond among tiers.

• Solidifying communication lines is a must for managers, but making gains and improvements during these meetings are just as imperative.

• Communicate the goals of your employee’s roles clearly and the goals or purpose of the company entirely — this helps let them know what’s expected.

• But meetings also allow for opportunities for feedback and new perspectives can lead to structural improvement.

• Don’t forget to check out Kevin Xu’s article on employee communication here.