When the economy is consistently thriving, it is a lot easier to remain motivated and laser focused on your business goals. Short term and long-term strategies are easier to define. Setting and operating to budget comes much easier. When the business climate is predictable and the revenue stream is consistent, life is good.
Enter 2024! I can’t speak for all businesses and industries, but in the world of staffing right now daily volume, projections, client spend, etc., are as unpredictable as I have experienced in the last 20 years. With that unpredictability comes uncertainty and the need to pivot business strategy at a moment’s notice. So how do you keep your team motivated, and your organization focused throughout turbulent times?
Celebrate the small wins with every opportunity you get. When an operations member receives and fills a new job order, even if it’s one or two people, celebrate it! When the sales team gains a new client, no matter how big or small the projected revenue, celebrate it! When a team member comes up with and implements a new process improvement or best practice…you guessed it, CELEBRATE IT! A mentor of mine used to always remind that when you have a team of people constantly achieving a ton of small wins, they all add up to a big win for your organization in the long run. Every high five, social media post, shout out in live or virtual meetings, individual or group prize handed out to highlight your team’s efforts helps keep your entire organization energized and motivated to push forward despite the business challenges we are facing currently.
Fending off low morale and embracing the level of creativity and thoughtfulness involved with motivating your team should work in conjunction with how and when you shift areas of focus within your organization. When sales, client orders, and talent applications are slow use it as an opportunity to focus on training, retraining, process improvement, and policy changes/updates. These activities develop your team’s professional knowledge, improve confidence and productivity, and empower them to own their specific areas of expertise. That way when sales, orders, and applications start to increase, you have a team of motivated, well-trained professionals ready to execute on the focus areas of customer service, fill ratios, new client acquisition, and exploring new service lines/niche industries to help grow and strengthen the organization in both the short and long term.
I know we are all ready for our economy and business operations to go back to or at least resemble some sense of “normalcy.” Until that happens…(fingers crossed it’s tomorrow!)…we can at least work as hard as we can on keeping our team’s motivated and aligning our focus to the climate we are in right now, so that our businesses can continue to thrive when that “normal” tomorrow does eventually come.
If you’re looking to navigate these challenging times with a resilient and motivated team, we’re here to help. Our experts are ready to provide tailored staffing solutions that fit your unique needs in any industry. Contact us today, and let’s work together to keep your business thriving.
About the Author:
Quintin Williams, Chief Operating Officer at Debbie’s Staffing Services, brings over a decade of leadership experience and a commitment to operational excellence. A graduate of High Point University and Wake Forest University, Quintin holds an MBA and a Strategic Innovation and Leadership Certificate. He has a proven track record in nurturing growth and fostering continuous learning. Quintin is dedicated to making a positive impact through his work. Outside of his professional life, he enjoys traveling with his family and engaging in martial arts and competition shooting.
