As 2025 approaches, your focus may be on your business goals. As a leader, you may wonder how to accelerate your business to the next level this upcoming calendar year. You may have your revenue objectives in place and know your company’s main priorities. However, have you considered how your company’s employees are performing?
Your business growth relies heavily on your team and what you can accomplish. If your team feels discouraged or unmotivated, it may show how your clients or customers feel or are treated. It’s also common for employees to feel unsatisfied with their work if they are unsure of the company’s mission or vision. Thinking about your team, their work habits, and your overarching business goals is essential for success. To help your business thrive in 2025, here are five strategies to take into consideration.
1. Productivity
Every company wants to be productive, but it will take much more than wishing for it to become a reality! A productive team is efficiently using their time. They manage projects or assignments well and delegate responsibilities. This way, the burden of the work doesn’t fall on one team member. Every employee knows their responsibility and works together to achieve the larger goal.
If your company is struggling on the productivity front, keep these tips in mind. First, hold regular meetings to discuss projects and align priorities. Set up a regular meeting time on everyone’s digital calendar. Whether your company uses Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Calendar.com, having a meeting scheduled is something to work toward. Employees may feel more inclined to finish a task knowing they will be asked about its progress during the team meeting.
Second, empower your team so employees feel like they own their work. A hovering manager may be intimidating and cause employees to question their every move. While you may think that looking over an individual’s shoulder can push them to accomplish more, it may do the opposite. It can be an efficient use of time, especially if the individual has to check in with you after doing routine tasks. You can empower your team by holding an open-door policy, which offers increased collaboration and builds trust amongst the team.
2. Project Management
If your company is guilty of falling behind on deadlines, then project management should be the new year’s theme for you. A missed due date here and there may seem innocent enough; however, a missed deadline can lead to several negative consequences. Employees may feel more stressed and start blaming colleagues. If you’re missing a client deadline, it can damage your company’s reputation and lead to low client retention.
Adopting project management tools like Trello, ClickUp, or Asana can make a difference in your project management goals. These tools streamline project planning, assigning a specific task or set of tasks to individual employees. Everyone feels responsible for part of the project and has a perspective on its progression. This can boost productivity and help with collaboration and task management. As a leader, you’ll have real-time visibility on every project and can mitigate risks before they become problematic.
Consider your unique needs when selecting a project management tool for your business. As a whole, most of these platforms offer the same basic features. Some, such as Asana, are incorporating AI integrations to automate routine work. Others, like Trello, allow for customization and unique templates so you can control the project dashboard. Ask for a demo and have your team try out the different tools to see which is best for you.
3. Internal Communication
Internal communication is essential for any business. Whether you are in the office five days a week, working on a hybrid schedule, or completely remote, communication can make or break a company. Efficient team communication ensures everyone is on the same page and receiving the same information. Nobody feels out of the loop or unsure what is expected of them. If wires are constantly being crossed, you may consider prioritizing internal communication in 2025.
As a leader, you want to start by addressing the communication problem and presenting a solution. At a company-wide meeting, discuss why you think wires are being crossed. Maybe some of the fault is a lack of clear messaging. If someone doesn’t attend a meeting, how is the information getting to them? Having someone send out detailed notes or recording the meeting for viewing later may be the answer.
Or perhaps there are differences in communication styles that are causing the problem. If you have employees from all over the world, cultural differences can create communication barriers. Making communication accessible to everyone may do the trick. Don’t assume what someone is trying to say, but instead, listen actively and ask follow-up questions. HR training on different communication styles may be needed to respect diverse voices in the workplace.
In terms of communication channels, platforms like Slack can be used for quick, internal messages can be beneficial. This can help facilitate efficient communication through real-time text or video calls. On the other hand, Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams are good for large group meetings scheduled in advance—set ground rules for the various communication channels so everyone knows which one to use and when.
5. Educational Opportunities
Career growth is vital for individuals and the company. Those who progress in their career may feel more fulfilled in their work. Their job satisfaction may increase, and so will their confidence levels. It also demonstrates the company culture, building up their employees and advancing them to the next level. This is a selling point for attracting top talent during the hiring process.
One way to build career growth is by offering educational opportunities. The offerings can range from team-wide learning and development workshops to individual programs at educational institutions or universities. A manager can find a workshop that will benefit the entire team. Many are available online through learning platforms, making it easier for everyone to successfully complete the program.
A company can also offer tuition assistance programs. This gives individuals a chance to pursue a degree or certificate that will benefit their field of work. This can be a popular employee benefit, but only some employees will use it. When setting up this type of program, create a policy outlining what will be credited to the program. Perhaps you cap the amount of money that can be reimbursed per calendar year and set a grade completion standard.
Investing in your employees may be expensive upfront, but the payoff will be worth it. You’re giving your company a competitive advantage over others by retaining hard-working employees. You’re also setting your business apart from others during the recruiting and hiring process. And you’re paving the way for a career path that benefits both the individual and the company overall.
Conclusion
Your business succeeds if your employees feel supported, trusted, and inspired. In addition to considering your company objectives, such as an increase in market share and sales, consider your team. Implementing different tools may assist with better communication and collaboration, while offering an educational program can help with internal motivation. Keep these strategies in mind as another year comes into view.
Featured Image Credit: Photo by Matheus Bertelli; Pexels
Howie Jones
My name is Howie and I'm a Customer Success Manager at Calendar. I like to ensure our customers get the best experience using our product. If you have questions email me howie at calendar.com