As a team leader, it’s a general rule that you should never make broad assumptions… about anything. However, some assumptions are more dangerous than others— especially in senior living.
“My way is the right way”
Be open and listen to suggestions and if it is an approach that has not been tried before. There will be times when you simply don’t know how to do a duty your staff is tasked with, so don’t be shy in asking for help. You might actually be surprised at how good it makes your staff members feel to know they helped contribute to your education in the industry.
“My team isn’t goal-oriented”
Surprisingly, the senior living industry is a goal-oriented business. Everyone gets a budget with goals they must meet, whether they work in sales, the medical team, or operations. This determines your bonus, next year’s budget, and whether or not you keep your job. The most important question is whether your staff is aware of your facility’s goals. The goals you set for yourself and the company will have an impact on the goals that your employees set for themselves. It will also have an impact on whether or not the team meets expectations.
This can be accomplished by holding full department meetings once a month and having all department heads and above meet weekly. Goals are clearly stated at these meetings.
“Everyone knows their job and what’s expected of them”
Every team member has a role to play in achieving these goals, but do they actually know what that role is? Your banquet housemen are responsible for department cleanliness, but have you actually explained the cleanliness standard to them? In addition to the initial training, it is up to you, as the manager, to ensure they are always up to standard and to provide additional training as needed.
“Nothing motivates the team”
We all assume everyone will find the same things motivating them that motivate us, but that is not often the case. One employee may find monetary rewards the biggest motivator while another may find swag or a simple thank you as a motivational tool.
This is an easy one to fix, though, because all you need to do is talk to your employees. What is a sporting event you have never attended that you would love to go to? Do you have any restaurants you would like to eat at? What would make you think you were more appreciated here at the job? Questions like that will uncover a bevy of motivators, all of which you can use to improve morale.