Empowering Ways To Support Your Small Business Team

Behind every small business stands a stellar team of employees and leaders. When a manager focuses on leading people, the business thrives. Here are some empowering ways to support your small business team!
Build Trust
Building trust within your team is of the utmost importance because any relationship will fail without trust, including a business partnership.
 
Try placing trust in your team by assigning them to perform specific tasks or running a project on their own. This will show you their work ethic and if they can accomplish what they say they will.
 
Designating them to specific tasks will also show you how they address problems on their own. Once they finish the job, you might meet with them to discuss achievements and areas of improvement.
Nurture Collaboration
There is no “I” in “team” for a reason! Often, it takes a village to accomplish a goal in the workplace.
 
Be sure to foster collaboration within your department by encouraging them to work with each other to develop ideas and improve the workplace culture.
 
Small businesses rely on their teams, which means collaboration is critical and can help you achieve significant goals.
 
Promote Mental Health
Many people assumed that COVID-19 would be “over” by the end of 2020. Then, they hoped for the same thing at the end of 2021. In 2022, we’re still experiencing the adverse effects of the pandemic with no clear end in sight.
 
Try to see your employee as someone with individual needs rather than an “employee at the company.” Unfortunately, many businesses are still demanding the same workload from employees as they did before the pandemic, leading to burnout.
 
Be sure to have an honest talk with your staff one-on-one and ask what they need, how you can help them succeed, and what a healthy work/life balance would look like. This might include encouraging them to take PTO as much as they need to help them recharge or even more team appreciation.
 
Show Appreciation
Employees are working in addition to taking care of children at home, dealing with the effects of COVID-19, and other pressing life issues, so show them your appreciation. Celebrate everything they accomplish, whether it’s successfully leading a meeting or building a strong report.
 
You can show appreciation by doing things like:

Reward staff based on interests

Provide free lunch/dinner

Cheers from peers

Make each celebration personal

Provide Paths for Growth
A complacent employee can easily turn into a team member seeking employment outside your company. Try to sit down with your staff and have an individual conversation about their goals and where they want to be in their career.
 
This can give you a clear direction to help your employee reach their full potential at your company and grow your small business.
 
Be sure to always communicate with your employees to determine their needs and address them accordingly. These empowering ways to support your small business team can help you build a stronger team and lead your business to success.