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Do you manage a team who are feeling depleted? How’s the team dynamic after 2.5 years of restrictions, alerts, “breaking news “and mandates? Where has everyone’s mojo gone?
Ahhhhh…and as a leader, have you scheduled your own self-care? You can’t look after others, if you’re not looking after yourself.
Canberra businesses are trudging into another phase of the pandemic and as a team leader, do you have a plan in place to keep your team happy, morale high, and everyone feeling connected, and supported?
In today’s HerCanberra column, Capital Hydrotherapy and Exercise Physiology will share 5 tips and tricks that they are scheduling to keep the team connected, and energy aligned. First up, some business background:
I established Capital Hydrotherapy with $80.00 in my personal savings 11 years ago. The business started with 6 Hydrotherapy sessions a week, and one practitioner – me. We now host over 180 Hydrotherapy sessions a week and a tribe of 12 loyal teammates. It was over 215 sessions a week pre-COVID, but the pandemic has changed our business model.
In Australia, it is estimated that one-in-three new small businesses fail in their first year of operation, two out of four by the end of the second year, and three out of four by the fifth year.
Note: these statistics were estimated before the COVID pandemic hit. We need to connect more than ever after the past 2.5 years of COVID-disconnect, fear and living in the unknown.
What strategies do you have in place to help your team stay happy and connected?
Here are our top 5 tips and tricks to keep our happy culture alive and team connected:
- Time-blocking self-care
- The daily huddle
- Revisit core values
- Weekly team bake off
- Time-block team lunch
TIME-BLOCKING SELF-CARE
Do you regularly time-block your self-care in your diary? For your team? And yourself? Don’t “think” about that walking meeting, or your run at lunch – plug it into the diary in advance!
As a business owner, and Mum of three, self-care and avoiding burnout are my focus points this year—-not just for me personally, but for the team too. In our team, some schedule the gym, others schedule a run or golf (or afternoon tea with their Mum). If you don’t block it in the diary– it doesn’t happen!
Having scheduled time out of the office keeps our team fresh, happy and supported. Take a day off – no worries. Block it in the diary! Don’t wait for a funeral to have a Friday for R&R.
THE DAILY HUDDLE
Short. Sharp. Positive. Our 13-minute team huddle is our go-to team ritual. The scheduled daily team huddle is our best form of communication and support, especially during the pandemic when we all feel so disconnected. The huddle connects the team and makes them feel a part of something bigger. It’s called community.
We’ve been huddling for over 4 years, on the daily. The key is DAILY, especially when’s there’s so much uncertainly around us. We always finish the huddle with expressing gratitude (something we’re grateful for).
Essential huddle points:
- Always standing
- Has a daily rhythm
- Time efficient
- Engaging
- STARTS ON TIME (well – we try!)
Our team huddle is organised, and the team leader always has the main points written down. Here’s a sneak peak of the structured huddle:
- We never solve problems in a standing huddle (that’s for “off pool deck”).
- Admin points. Always light-hearted, to the point and “short and sharp”.
- The important stuff – patient hand overs, seniors helping juniors with a patients’ treatment pathway, and prepare practitioners if there’s a new patient in their group.
- Last 5 mins – we go around the group and share our gratitude. Living in the present moment is the key. Especially in this “Insta” pandemic world we currently live in!
Do you have a daily team huddle? Tell me about it!
REVIST CORE VALUES
It’s the simplest of strategies that are often the most effective. Would you agree?
Addressing our core values with the team regularly is essential. We address them at the team induction, we have core value posters in every room for a gentle reminder and every day we live them through our daily huddle and work ethic. Whenever there’s a concern at the clinic, I go back to the business’ core values – these values ground me and create instant clarity. Here are our core values:
- Create a happy and supportive environment
- Go above and beyond
- Respect peoples time and goals
- Be open and inspire personal and professional growth
- Don’t sweat the small stuff
Have you revisited your core values recently with the team?
WEEKLY TEAM BAKE OFF
Building a positive fun team culture takes time. It takes coffee, cake and grazing platters. It takes effort.
Every Tuesday for over 6 years we’ve had a scheduled bake off. One team member bakes for everyone. It’s a great way to bond the team, nourish our bellies after hours in the water, and we all stop for a moment and talk about life and have a relaxed laugh. It is a scheduled ritual.
TIME-BLOCKED LUNCH
There’s that buzz word again—“time-blocking”. It really is the key to a progressive happy nourished business.
Every month we have time-blocked our Friday lunch. We order local food and and nourish our bellies. There’s something about being in a relaxed environment that bonds a group of humans. We use this time wisely and have a professional development session. Learning and lunch – what a great combination!
Would any of these tips and tricks help your team? Do you have any strategies to share with us?
Capital Hydrotherapy and Exercise Physiology is open for one-on-one Hydrotherapy, Aquatic Physiotherapy, face-to-face land-based Exercise Physiology, small group therapy, Hydrolates 
classes (Aquatic Pilates) with strict COVID-safe precautions, & telehealth consultations.
If you are injured, have a chronic health condition, or need a plan to improve your health and wellbeing—call us today 6156 2223.
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