All businesses go through hard times occasionally. It can be anything from a major office conflict which damages morale, to a dip in profits due to market conditions. Of course, the recent COVID-19 pandemic is a prime example of businesses (and the world) going through a hard time.
To be able to survive such problems, employees and management need to pull together and work to get through it. Having high team spirit makes all of this much easier, but morale will always take a hit when times are hard.
So, how can you handle difficult times as a team and keep things ticking over nicely?
- Avoid blame - No matter what has caused the issue, a blame culture isn’t going to help. A team takes the successes together and the failures.
- Pull together rather than apart - It’s easy for conflicts to begin when times are tough. People start to point fingers, become stressed, and this can damage the bonds that keep the team working as one. Bear in mind that in order for a team to work, everyone needs to be pulling in the same direction. Overcome conflicts quickly and effectively.
- Have regular check ins - Whether your team works remotely or in the same office, it’s important to have regular check-ins with each other. Simply asking ‘how are you doing today’ can be very important.
- Maintain strong communication - Problems occur when people stop talking. Regular check ins are one thing but you need to be able to talk about anything that’s bothering you. As a manager, don’t just sit behind your executive office desk and ignore what’s going on, be approachable and encourage communication.
- Stay positive - When things are tough it’s important to keep a positive mindset in place. Its easy to let it fall towards the negative but when that happens, you’re only going to notice problems. Stay positive and overcome whatever life throws at you as a business.
Tough times can be overcome when everyone works together and doesn’t blame anyone for what’s going on. There are always going to be challenges in business and in life, but the rain can’t fall forever!