Five Ways to Keep Your Team Motivated and on Track!

Keeping a team motivated can be one of the most challenging things to do. There needs to be an environment where employees feel appreciated and knowledgeable about their position and how it all adds into the big picture. Here are five ways how to keep your team motivated and on track!

1. Communicate with everyone. Communication is key when you are working on crating a common goal among peers. Whether it be leaving a note, or sending an email, make sure everyone is on the same page so there is no confusion!

2. Recognize good behaviors. Make sure your team is recognized! Once a goal is met do something special for your team. Buy lunch or snacks, give a gift card to the top performer, plan a game day, do something fun!

3. Make corrections when necessary. Constructive criticism is the best way to go here! You want your team to know that you care about their performance and each employee plays a part in making the business run smoothly. It's easier to correct the action in the beginning than wait until the behavior has been learned.

4. Set reasonable goals. Don't force too much workload on a team member. Sit down with them and come up with a game plan. If a project is big, set up reasonable time goals that your employee and you feel comfortable with.

5. Lead by example. If you don't want your employee checking their cell phone every five seconds, then you shouldn't be on your phone. Make sure that your actions mirror what you want your employees to be doing. Don't be a hypocrite!!

Six Volunteer Events Your Company Should Consider

1. Animal Shelters. This is always a fun thing to do! Helping out some furry friends is always a great way to give back and have fun with your co-workers. You can also collect supplies like, paper towels, puppy pads, dog/cat food, leashes, and much more! Think about it and partner with your local animal shelter today!

2. Food Pantries! Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit committed to feeding hungry children. Volunteers hand-pack meals that are specially formulated and sent to more than 70 countries world wide. Start your finger exercises now!

3. Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit that believes every person should have a decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity builds, renovates and repairs houses over the world using volunteer labor and donations. Stretch out your limbs and pack up your toolkit.

4. YMCA focuses on youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Y volunteers give men, women and children of all ages and walks of life the resources and support they need to be healthy, confident, connected, and secure.

5. United Way believes every country should have a good education, every citizen should feel financially stable, and every community should be healthy and strong.

6. National Night Out promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, better places to live. Neighborhoods across the nation host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other various community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events and visits from emergency personal and exhibits.

The list of volunteer events goes on and on. Why not get away from work and have some fun while giving back to the community!