The last 12 months have been challenging for organisations and people alike.. The New Zealand economy has seen a rise in unemployment to 5.1%, the highest level since 2020, with around 32,000 jobs lost in the past year. This situation has left many employees feeling uncertain and demotivated, making it crucial for leaders to rebuild team morale and organisational culture effectively. There is a need to do more with fewer people and fewer resources. The large number of redundancies and the uncertainty is almost paralysing for many teams. If you find yourself trying to rebuild a team after these events, it can seem quite daunting, especially when layoffs and economic downturns are involved.
One of the primary challenges inexperienced leaders face is a lack of confidence and skills in managing change. Without prior experience, they may struggle to communicate effectively, build trust, and inspire their teams. Additionally, the emotional toll of layoffs and economic uncertainty can lead to a decrease in employee engagement and productivity. Therefore, it’s vital to take a ‘people-first’ approach. Building or rebuilding trust is the essential first step because, when it comes down to it, trust is the foundation of any successful team. Leaders who are consistent, reliable, and honest in their actions and communications, follow through on promises, and are transparent about decisions tend to build a deeper degree of trust with their teams compared to those who communicate poorly or are ‘too busy for all that.’
So, open communication is a no-brainer. Even though the big changes have hit many organisations, unfortunately, more change is on the horizon. It’s important that continued transparency is demonstrated and you are available to your team, both collectively and individually, to listen to their concerns. A good leader will always keep their teams informed about the reasons for the changes, the expected outcomes, and how they will impact everyone. The simple act of providing regular updates and open forums for questions can help alleviate anxiety and continue to build trust.
When I used the expression ‘too busy for all that’ above, I was, of course, referring to listening with empathy. These are extremely tough times for people, and emotions are bound to be running high. Stephen Covey’s saying, ‘Be time efficient, people effective’ carries a lot of weight here. We can’t rush these conversations, and sometimes people just need to be heard. Sometimes the degree of support a team member might need is beyond our skill set, and we have to be mindful of when we’re out of our depth. A simple test to measure this is, if you think you’re out of your depth, you probably are. It’s best to refer them to other support services such as a coach or EAP.
If you find yourself on the other end of the change and you’re gearing up to deliver in a meaningful way, it’s important to build a clear strategy with the team. Helping them develop a sense of purpose and building a clear strategy that promotes collaboration goes a long way to help teams work together more effectively. Leaders should look to create an environment that encourages team members to share ideas, support each other, and work towards common goals. It’s important to remember to keep an eye on building that positive work culture through clear values, praise and feedback, and fun!
The last thing to consider in your arsenal for rebuilding your team is training and development opportunities. If we’re being tasked with delivering more with less, every member of the team needs to be able to work more effectively with one another; therefore, skills such as communication, growth mindset, and resilience are essential. Of course, if you find that you’re new to a leadership role, it’s not necessary to do it alone. Leadership training or coaching can make all the difference.
You can access these strategies in more detail and many more tools for building a high performing team in my new book ‘Now, Lead Others’.
If you’re interested in hearing more tips about how you can Unleash Your Potential or that of your team, please feel free to drop me a note. I’m always happy to share ideas and help where I can.
