5 Things to Do This Month: February 2012

PRD11RL_5THINGS_FIt’s hard to believe, but the first month of 2012 is over and it’s already February. To keep your and team going strong this year, focus on increasing morale, productivity, and retention by doing these five things this month.

Don’t Let Work Break Your Heart
A recent study found women under heavy stress at work increase their risk of a heart attack by 90%, while another study found men who easily lose their temper at work are five times more likely to have a heart attack. In recognition of American Heart Month, take a few moments to consider your stress level and make it your goal to spend 10 minutes de-stressing each day in February. Also, keep an eye on your team’s stress levels and encourage them to find ways to relax too.

Honor Your Winning Team
Don’t put all your efforts into cheering for your Super Bowl pick. Forget about football and gather your team in a huddle to celebrate the wins you’ve already achieved in the first month of the year. If you’re still working on large projects or haven’t hit your goals yet, focus on the small things everyone is doing in order to achieve success. Sometimes it’s easy to get bogged down in all the details and lose sight of how each small task is taking you closer to the desired end results. Giving your team perspective on how the work they’ve accomplished so far is moving them closer and closer to their goals will give them the momentum to carry on and keep pushing!

Hold Leadership Accountable
Retention is a hot topic right now because so many companies are seeing the level of discontentment steadily rising in their employees. And, whether you run a business or just manage a small team within a larger corporation, the answer is probably simpler than you’d imagine. Start holding leadership accountable for turnover. Instead of mourning the loss of key employees, ask why the employees left, what could their managers have done differently, and what can be done to ensure other team members don’t follow suit.

Organize Your PC
In honor of Clean Out Your Computer Day on February 13, block out some time in your schedule to do what you’ve probably been putting off. Clean out that email inbox. File away all those documents on your desktop. Create a better folder system based on projects. Run any needed program updates if your IT team isn’t responsible for that. A clean, organized computer, just like an office, will maximize your productivity.

<3 Your Employees
Take your cue from Valentine’s Day and give your employees reasons to love their jobs. Is your team on a tight deadline? Surprise them with cupcakes or order in pizza. An employee looking discouraged? Call them in your office and tell them something you think they’ve done right this week. Have a little extra money in the budget? Give everyone a gift card to their favorite restaurant so they can go out for the holiday. Lifting employee morale doesn’t have to drain the bank, and the results could directly help your bottom line.

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