The COVID-19 pandemic has created a business environment that in many ways is unpredictable. We have seen shutdowns and slowdowns, explains William Cafarella. Many businesses are struggling with a shortage of workers, while others are trying to make ends meet and serve their customers with a shortage of products or ingredients.

It can be a very demoralizing time for employees who are doing their best to keep a business afloat or keep their customers happy. For employers and leaders, this is a time when you must work even harder to keep your team motivated, according to William Cafarella, General Manager at Coral Springs Nissan the largest volume Nissan dealer in the world in Coral Springs Florida. With more than 25 years of experience leading, building, and managing successful teams at dealerships, Cafarella knows what it takes to motivate strong teams. He offers these tips for today’s business leaders:

1. Recognize the good work. This is important for any leader to always do with their teams. Research has shown that one of the main reasons employees say they don’t feel supported is because they don’t feel appreciated or acknowledged for the work that they do and the effort they put in. When you see your team members doing good work, when they meet a milestone, or when they overcome a challenge, make sure they know that you see them. Acknowledge them privately and publicly. And when you can do more, do more. Bring them coffee, take them to lunch, bring in breakfast, says William Cafarella.
2. Make yourself available. You may say your door is always open to your team but is it really? Have you made yourself approachable to your team members? Have you set yourself up as a leader that listens to the problems team members are having and when do you actually take action from those discussions? If you have a track record of actually helping your team with their challenges, you will eventually lose the respect or the engagement of your team. Do not ask your team to do anything that you do not do!
3. Be transparent. Businesses are facing a lot of challenges these days and your first instinct will be to shelter your team from what is happening. That’s the wrong move, however. By letting your team know about these challenges, you instill trust. By keeping them locked out, you create a culture of secrets or rumors.

William Cafarella explains that keeping a team motivated is a challenge that every leader will face during their career. By keeping these tips in mind, however, you can help ensure that you get the best results possible and get all you can out of each employee you have under you