If business owners and managers can figure out how to best position their employees for success, businesses that change depending on the season can be exciting and gratifying places to work. Of course, peak season is frequently characterized by an increase in cash flow and the amount of business. This, in turn, also raises the expectations placed on personnel. During such a time, failing to adequately encourage staff could have very negative effects. Such negative effects may result in problems such as a large employee turnover and reduced workflow. Therefore, if you want to keep employees motivated and successful during peak season, here are some tips for you.
#1 Always hire the right people to start with
To ensure success even during the busiest of peak seasons, you must create a solid foundation. And what better way to do that than employing the right people? The important factors when hiring are when and whom you will hire. By balancing these two, you will keep career satisfaction high for you and your employees.
Experts suggest starting with the hiring process way ahead of peak season. In most cases, around 6 months’ time is enough to acquire the right people for the job. However, the time you want to put aside for it should also depend on your business needs and wants.
As mentioned, to reduce the burden of peak season, you should consider hiring additional staff. But only the right staff will be able to help out instead of doing the opposite. Make sure to ask the right questions, inform them of the expectations you will have of them when peak season arrives, and maybe even strategize the workflow by giving them tasks that will lessen the tasks needed to be done by someone else.
#2 Prepare for peak season beforehand
With the previous step, you’ve already started preparing for the peak season by filling in the gaps. However, there are other things you can do to prepare further.
The first thing you should do is communicate with your current team. It is best to inform them prematurely of what will likely happen during peak season. You may bring up reports from previous years or give them a clear insight into what you want them to be ready for. Furthermore, talk to them about their responsibilities and how their day-to-day workflow will have to change.
Afterward, you should optimize your business as much as possible. This is vital even when it is not a busy season, but you simply want to make your business run smoothly. For example, you may automize administrative tasks by using advanced services. On the other hand, even separating your staff into teams and choosing team leaders can help better prepare you for the upcoming peak season.
Lastly, if your staff is currently working from an office that is not adequate anymore, maybe it is time to prepare to move offices. This is particularly important to do before peak season since, during it, you may not have the time needed to do so. Furthermore, the move might add even more stress on top of the high level of stress peak season brings. Luckily, moving offices will likely motivate your staff for the peak season. But, make sure to get help with this task by acquiring commercial movers you can trust, so they take the load off of your and your workers’ shoulders.
#3 Keep communication open even during peak season
Although you may understand the importance of being open before peak season, did you know that it is just as vital to communicate during? After all, if you want to keep employees motivated during peak season, you should be open to hearing their concerns. Make sure to inform everyone on your staff that you are there for any inquiries and complaints. There is nothing that worsens motivation more than an employee having an issue and not being heard. However, be sure to remain calm and collected when listening to them. Furthermore, do not dismiss their words like they’re not important, and let them know their input is valuable. Compromise and deal with their concerns in whatever way you feel would be helpful to them and your company.
#4 Prioritize creating a good work environment
Prior to peak season, many employers focus on the income they will acquire and the workload they’ll need to deal with. But this should not be your priority if you truly want to focus on those previous aspects. Instead, you should focus on creating a good work environment. Make a space that is going to motivate employees, where they can learn their craft, where they know someone has their back, and where they can work to their fullest potential. With such a setting, prosperity will come naturally. Additionally, it will create better workers and also reduce employee turnover. In turn, all of these benefits will make sure that no matter how busy each peak season is, your employees will be able to handle it.
#5 Make sure to encourage your employees
Now that you have workers that you are happy to be a part of your team, it is on you to motivate them to stay that way. Money and benefits are obviously significant, but a survey revealed that they don’t rank at the top of the list of motivational factors. According to a recent survey, having a healthy work-life balance, peer motivation, and a supportive employer are the three most motivating aspects for employees.
So, what can you do about that? You could enforce strict times for resting and leaving work to enforce a healthier work-life balance. Furthermore, you should be respectful and honest when you need to be. Encourage them when they achieve success and support them when they make mistakes. Offer them bonuses and rewards such as a financial adviser that can help them with their financial stability. Showing them appreciation is a sure way of motivating them to always do a better job.
#6 Lead by example
No matter how many of the other tips you may follow, everything will go down the drain if you do not lead by example. For example, if you enforce open communication while not talking openly with them. Or if you stay overtime each day while you expect them to prioritize their work-life balance. All of these things (and more) are only going to seem like promises and advice that you do not even follow yourself. Therefore, if you truly want to keep employees motivated during peak season, make sure you do the same as you expect from them.
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