Three New Year’s Resolutions Business Leaders Should Make and Stick To

Ok, we know 2020 was rough. So maybe you feel like you’ve earned the right not to have a resolution in 2021. Fair enough. But for businesses, 2021 New Year’s resolutions are perhaps more critical than ever. In the wake of COVID, setting goals and objectives is even more essential to keeping employees engaged, motivated and productive in order to drive the success of your business. This includes executives and leaders alike. So set some goals for yourself by establishing some new year’s resolutions and sticking to them. Here are the three we think are most helpful to boosting your bottom line:

Resolution #1: Communicate frequently and with transparency
As a business leader, you’re the company’s North Star. People will always want to hear your voice, your guidance, your vision and your goals. This is especially true now as we continue to navigate the rough waters of a global pandemic. With many organizations experiencing significant downturn in business, layoffs and even bankruptcy, employees are left wondering, how secure is my job? In addition, with many people working remotely, many while managing virtual schooling, many employees are wondering, what will happen when I have to go back to the office? I have no childcare. How will I manage if I am mandated to go back to the office? Some may also just be feeling plain old detached. On-camera Zoom calls have slowly been replaced by a thumbnail headshot of the voice on the other end of the phone. The kind of lame but also fun virtual happy hours have lost their luster. People everywhere are feeling isolated and disconnected. Let them see your face. Let them hear your voice. Organize virtual Town Hall Meetings where you can provide business updates and answers to any policy or COVID-related questions. This will not only make people feel connected and abreast of business happenings, but it will also reassure them that they are still part of a team. They will feel engaged and motivated to continue forward — to be productive and work towards a goal.

Resolution #2: Boost camaraderie and culture
Since we can’t go to the office, we can’t grab lunch with our work buddies. We can’t stop at our favorite bar for a team happy hour. We can’t share a quick laugh with our cubicle neighbor, and there’s no water cooler to chit chat around. We have no sense of office culture. Working from home has diminished, if not completely eliminated camaraderie and a team mentality. We are all stuck in our silos longing for the days when you could wander over to a colleague’s desk and have a productive conversation, instead of exchanging ten emails from your home office. We’ve forgotten what people look like and we’re not even sure if half the people that used to pass us in the hallways even work for our organizations anymore. Bring back a sense of togetherness and fun by offering at-home employee challenges where employees compete for desirable, tangible rewards. Share information on a company intranet or communications platform that is unrelated to work, but relevant to real-life scenarios. This can include anything from tips on reducing stress to financial tips for those operating on a pay cut/reduced income. It’s really important that people feel like they’re part of a team and that even though they haven’t seen their colleagues in person in almost a year, they know their colleagues are still there to support and encourage them.

Resolution #3: Invest in your employees’ success
Establishing a growth and development plan impacts your bottom line. This includes empowering employees to do their jobs, giving them opportunities to rise and expand their skillset, setting goals for them, and most importantly, recognizing them for a job well done. Recognition includes public acknowledgements, simple “thank you’s” and bonuses. However, it also includes frequently delivered tangible rewards. People are highly motivated by the idea that you care about their professional future – but they’re also extremely motivated knowing that their work and talent are valued. Being acknowledged and rewarded for your achievements is fulfilling and creates a sense of pride. This inspires continued commitment, focus, drive and ambition. Together, all these things facilitate success. Your employees’ success is ultimately your success – and the primary conduit to the success of your organization.

To learn more about our at-home employee challenges, the benefits of our recognition programs or our extensive product reward collection, contact us today.