TEAM

Contracting companies are nothing but teams. The better the team, the better the company, the more money that's being made. How can you build this team spirit and your profit margin?

1. Communication: Many bosses only communicate when there is a problem, when something has been done wrong. While this is certainly neccessary, in order to build a team spirit there must be more communication when things are going right. Send out daily, weekly, and monthly status reports to your staff to let them know who is being the most productive. This healthy spirit of compettition will have your team working twice as hard to have their name at the top of the list.

2. Build a rapport with your team. Remember, the team that plays together stays together. Talk to your employees about sports, about their families, about their hobbies. This will bring you closer together and will in turn cause your team to work harder for you. People are more likely to work hard for someone they feel like they know and like than for some impersonal shadowy "Boss" figure.

3. Take Care of Yo People! This doesn't just mean bonuses or raises. We all realize that the economy is tough and construction, trades, and contracting companies have been hit harder than anyone. So even though you may not have the money to give raises or bonuses, there are other ways that you can show your employees that you are trying to take care of them. For some of your employees, allowing them to work overtime can be just like giving them a bonus because it puts extra money in their pocket. Other guys don't won't overtime at all, they are fine with their forty a week. Figure out who likes what and try to arrange the schedule so it caters to this. This is a small thing but it will go along way toward keeping your team happy.

The stronger your team, the more money you make, and isn't that the point?