Between now and December 30 is the time to really get things moving and round off the year, ready to leap into 2018.

You want a strong finish to the year and you can do this by maximising every opportunity that is on the table. We are now into the second quarter of this financial year and it is a great opportunity for many companies to capitalise on that extra revenue to exceed targets and set yourself up for 2018. Businesses and consumers will be in the spending spirit, especially with the Christmas trade, and last-minute business deals that are offered.

So, get in for your share and make sure you take advantage of the festive mood to boost sales and increase profits.  Round your team up and set some goals and expectations to make sure you succeed as a winning team. You need to set expectations, and be strong with your message to create a team focus around the whole customer engagement process, especially with value adds. Think about clever ways your team can cross-sell and upsell more products to your customers. Your staff need to be on their game plan, work as a team, to engage and service every customer, that’s a great way to empower customers to make good decisions.  

Motivation is paramount. Make sure everyone of your team members are in the spirit. To do this your team needs to have buy-in and input. Ask them how your company could perform better over the next seven to eight weeks in showcasing all your product and service offerings. Set some goals together so your all on the same page and aligned. You need your team 100% committed and engaged to make a difference. You may work out some sort of team incentive to keep the focus and count it down weekly to keep the vibrancy going and attitudes super-positive. All the better to achieve your team goals.

At the same time, keep a close eye on your team, be strict but be tactful. Watch their behaviour and how they treat one and another, this is a time of year for camaraderie, not bickering. Many companies get faced with legal disputes and disruptions due to staff fighting, harassment and bullying, particularly during this tense period. Many celebrations and parties are taking place, and if alcohol or tiredness is involved then silly things may be said or happen. (And it always happens in a workplace). That is why we call the it the silly season. If this is not managed properly then all that hard work will reverse and go pear shaped.  You need to keep an eye on your team and ensure they are not over worked, and on your company’s game plan. Start each day off fresh with a day start meeting!

Between now and December 30, 2017, many social events will happen. During this time of year workplace bullying and harassment claims increase, and the law firms, Fair Work Commission and Ombudsman cash in – this would cause havoc to your business, costing you time and resources, not to mention loss of productivity and money.

Many businesses think that this will not happen to them, but I can assure you that when this type of disruption occurs, it is not the monetary cost of the investigation that hurts the most, it is the down time incurred and the damage done to workplace culture and staff morale. A lack of productivity and motivation is what kills profits for a business, as everyone – the business owner/s, the alleged bully, the person submitting the complaint and the rest of the team become demotivated after a bullying or harassment complaint is made, especially with an active investigation taking place while they are anxiously awaiting the outcome.

Our tips for a strong finish to the year are:

1. Create a customer driven focused business and set some goals around maximising on every opportunity – ensure your staff’s energy is on sales!
2. Have your team help with the plan so you work together as a team, set some goals and be aligned with expected outcomes you want to achieve!
3. Make sure your staff all support one and another on creating better outcomes and deliverables for your customers, and drive a team incentive around it for more motivation!
4. Make sure you remind staff of how you want them to behave and treat one another during this peak period. Be mindful to respect each other as you need all staff on board during this peak time!
5. Make sure you and your leaders keep an eye on everyone to ensure that staff support one another and are focused on the big picture!
6. I encourage start up meetings every morning to keep the focus ongoing by celebrating success stories, use live case studies and count down the weeks left for 2017!
7. If you find that staff are not getting along, or things don’t seem right.  Address it immediately to keep your team on track.  If a bullying or harassment incident happens, get professional help immediately.  Call KBA and do not sweep it under the carpet!

Key Business Advisors hope you found the above information useful?  Be proactive, not reactive. Download our 10 Steps to Providing Excellent Customer Service. Also join us for our Free webinar on Tuesday 28th November:  Webinar Topic – A Masterclass in Workplace Bullying and Harassment and what to do before the Festive Season.

For more information about learning how to drive more motivation into your workplace or to prevent a workplace bullying or harassment incidents in your business, contact the Key Business Advisors on 1300 4 ADVICE or via info@keyba.com.au.