There are many challenges that come with managing a team. One of the most difficult is handling the pressure of crunch time, where everyone’s work becomes more demanding, and deadlines loom closer. It can be tough to know how best to motivate your employees and get them through these stressful periods. Here we will discuss three ways you can help manage your team through crunch time!
First, you should communicate and motivate your team during crunch time. One of the most important things is to let them know they are valued as employees and that you care about their well-being. Most of the time, people are willing to push themselves when they know there is a good reason behind it. This doesn’t mean employees should be taken advantage of or exploited, but it does mean managers need to balance fairness with accountability in order to get the most out of each person on their team.
An excellent way to achieve this is by communicating with your employees. Keeping everyone in the loop about deadlines and key milestones can help them understand how their tasks fit into the big picture. Additionally, it’s important to make sure they feel like an integral part of the company. This will help boost morale, which is particularly useful when people are struggling to meet deadlines.
In some cases, it may even be possible to give your employees a sense of autonomy. Empowering them with the freedom to manage their own time and set their own goals can help motivate them independently, which is great for when you’re not able to provide constant supervision or feedback. By encouraging self-direction during crunch time, employees will be able to work at their own pace and prioritize the most important tasks.
A common mistake managers make during crunch time is pushing their teams too hard or expecting them to sacrifice personal lives to meet impossible demands for productivity. This leads only to an increase in stress levels, which reduces efficiency overall and negatively impacts employee morale, so it should always be avoided when possible, even outside of busy times.
Understanding what drives your employees can help you motivate them during crunch time, and using the right motivation tactics ensures that they won’t burn out. Some people are driven by challenge, while others prefer to know their work is valued or impacts a larger group. Keep in mind what motivates each team member so that everyone feels engaged when working under pressure.