You’ve just hit a milestone on a big IT Asset Management project. Great! Time to dive back into it, right? Maybe not. Taking a moment, an hour, even an afternoon to celebrate bolsters team morale, unity, and retention. We’ve compiled seven quick reasons to celebrate or reward those important steps in your projects, be they big or small. Don’t save the party until the final deadline. Keep your crew motivated and plugging away by investing a few moments to show your appreciation.
Reflection.
It gives you a chance to reflect on the progress of the project and understand where you are, and what’s left to finish up. Take a look at the entire scope, beginning to end, and take stock of where you are on the continuum.
Meaningful work.
Meaningful work is an almost universal human desire. We all want to contribute our talents to the best of our ability, and do it with a team that believes support is a two way street. Even small tokens of recognition go a long way to keeping employees motivated to keep working.
Goal setting.
Even if the milestone is late, celebrate it while thinking about what happened. How did you get to this point? What did you do right and wrong? Could you have pushed harder and gotten further? Take stock of the project holistically and understand how this milestone fits into the project right now.
Recognition.
It helps you find natural leaders in your teams. Who’s going above and beyond? Who naturally earns the respect of coworkers and customers? Is it a time to elevate someone to more responsibility? You also have the option of something small (gift, cake, email, award) for a specific employee that stands out. Maybe do it once a week and pick someone new each time. Or have the team choose. Peer recognition is valuable.
Decompress.
Celebrating is a brief respite in a stressful project. It’s OK to take some time off and relax. Refresh yourself for the push to the next landmark. Our teams at RAY ALLEN will be celebrating Halloween in our offices for example. You can’t expect yourself or your employees to have their nose to the grindstone 24/7. Keep to a sustainable pace.
Connection.
If the project involves teams that have shown some friction, or that don’t normally interact, the celebration might benefit from the teams having it together. They’ll get to know each other and gain a better understanding of their roles. You might find the next milestones go more smoothly when the teams form a bond.
Work/life balance.
Maybe your reward includes a bit of time off instead of an office party. If overtime has been the norm, perhaps a day off is warranted. It gives employees time with family and friends, and to recharge before coming back to the next push. Mini vacations can be just as refreshing as a longer trip.
Make it a habit.
Of course projects come in a variety of sizes, lengths, and degrees of complexity. Milestones that are hit every day might not warrant a big celebration. It’s still important to make time for them. Anything from a team email to a small cake in the break room, to a nice company-comped lunch will do. The important thing is to show your appreciation for the dedication and work ethic put forth by your team.
-Todd
Todd Ringleman
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