With the heat wave scorching the nation this week, sitting down and focusing is hard! Don’t sweat it. Grab a cool drink and relax in the shade. We’ve put together a great line-up of articles for you to catch up on over the weekend.
In case you missed it (ICYMI), here are this week’s trending articles on leadership, teamwork, and improving company morale. Enjoy!
Leading the pack… even when you’re not the boss
There’s a reason the saying “there’s no “i” in team” is so popular. Team members come to rely on and trust each other. These bonds can be unbreakable when teams face a particularly difficult challenge or need motivation and direction.
A strong workforce team is essential to business success, as the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. This week on TLNT, Laura Stack wrote a great article titled “How to Increase Productivity — Even When You’re Not Leading the Team,” offering tips on fostering high performance and effective teamwork without undermining the boss.
Here’s a summary of Laura’s tips:
- Reach out—In the article, Laura cites a 2013 study that suggests workers respond more positively to social support from co-workers than from supervisors. So, don’t hesitate to say something. There’s nothing wrong with being friends with your colleagues.
- Celebrate – Acknowledge the milestones – birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, and accomplishments – whatever it may be, celebrate! Tipping your hat and acknowledging a job well done goes much farther than you think! It’s the little acts of kindness that count.
- Stay positive – Passive, aggressive, hostile attitudes create toxic environments. Remember, no one wants to be around the office whiner!
- Lead from within—As Laura perfectly states, “You may not be the leader, but you can definitely make your presence felt and your team’s productivity shine just by doing your best to be a nice person.”
Read the full article on TLNT for more insights and advice.
Does free food make for a happy office?
I scream you scream, we all scream for ice cream… pizza, bagels, and any other free snack!
Free snacks in the fridge, Bagel Thursdays, and weekly happy hours are a few of the perks companies offer to keep employees happy. The company-wide email goes out about free food, and everyone makes a break for it! There’s just something enticing about your company offering free food, right? But the food being free isn’t necessarily the biggest perk.
This week in The Huffington Post, Kate Bratskeir wrote an article titled “Why You And Your Co-Workers Go Absolutely Nuts For Free Office Food,” which covers some of the psychological behaviors and benefits of offering free food at work. The article states, “Free food also offers an opportunity to commune, face-to-face, with coworkers who are otherwise siloed to their workstations.”
The article goes on to quote Dr. Chloe Carmichael, a licensed clinical psychologist who supports the social notion, stating, “Breaking bread together is a sign of trust. Sharing a meal together does help people bond. It facilitates communication, trust, and a shared sensory experience.”
Food nourishes the soul. It improves morale, fosters teamwork and boosts productivity. So, if you think food perks are new, trendy office perks – think again! Read the article to get the full scoop!
Don’t lose your employees, and kill morale with these blunders!
If you’re not careful, you could lose your best and brightest employees and kill the overall morale of your workforce by making a few huge mistakes! This week, Inc. put together a list of seven HR blunders you need to avoid:
- Unfair compensation
- Poor work-life balance
- Lack of appreciation for accomplishments or tenure
- Unsupportive upper management
- A negative work environment
- Hoarding information
- Promoting from outside
Read the full article, “Don’t Lose Your Best Employees Because of These 7 HR Blunders” for some great advice!