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The roller coaster ride of the stock market, worse-than-expected unemployment numbers , the credit crunch – it all adds up to a pretty scary picture.  I feel the fear myself and sense it in friends, even those who have plenty of resources to wait it out until the market improves.  We’ve been pretty fortunate so far, and the things we’re cutting back on, like fancy dinners out, aren’t important anyway.  Times like these make you realize what is important – like spending time with family and friends, enjoying a great meal you cooked yourself (accompanied by a nice glass of wine, of course) or reading a good book you checked out of the library.

I think there are parallels in the workplace.  Even if companies aren’t in a position to offer much to their people in terms of raises or bonuses, there are things they can do to improve morale.  Now is the time to highlight the things that really matter in making people satisfied at work – the human connection.  More than ever, managers should take time to thank and congratulate their team members who do good work.   Stop and celebrate birthdays, engagements and new babies as well as business victories.  Order in a pizza for lunch on Friday and gather in a conference room to eat it and talk together about life, not about pressing business.  Sure, it’s a little harder to keep people upbeat at times like these, but if we remember the little things we can come out of this economic downturn with stronger teams of people who are more committed to each other and to their work.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 3rd, 2008 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Business and social trends. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.