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Running projects is often so stressful that it is easy to forget about the need to look after your staff. You can’t simply focus on risks, milestones and deliverables without paying attention to the softer skills needed when running a team.
Above all, it is vital that you are completely fair to everyone in your team at all times. How can you do this? It isn’t too difficult if you use the PRINCE2 methodology and look to take care of everyone’s individual career hopes and needs at all times.
Split Out the Work Fairly and Evenly
The first issue to consider is how you divide out the work among the team. Do you do this fairly or do some people always seem to draw the short straw?
Each project includes a wide variety of tasks. Some of them will be more enjoyable and more rewarding than others. There is simply no getting away from the fact that not every task will be as attractive as others.
However, what you can do is control the projects by being fair to everyone. If a certain team member gets given a long, boring task to do then their next job should be something lighter and more enjoyable if possible.
Give Them All the Chance to Get Trained
On any project team, it is vital that the team members are given the chance to receive the training that they need. After all, this is what is going to help them do a great job just now as well as look forward to a brighter future.
They can get going with PRINCE2 Leeds, which will show them how this methodology works and how to make each piece of work a success. This is the starting point for any successful career using PRINCE2.
Following on from this, they will need to learn more new skills to deal with specific projects. For example, they might need advanced Word, Excel or Photoshop skills in order to do what is needed on some of your projects.
Help Them Achieve Their Personal Development Goals
What do your team members want to achieve in the rest of their careers? Until you know this information it is going to be impossible for you to be completely fair in the way that you treat them and allocate tasks.
Are they planning on moving into project management or looking to get into a senior position in the business area in the future? By understanding each person’s own goals you can work out how to help them develop the right skills.
This is something that is incredibly satisfying to do, as you get to see how your team members progress over time and achieve their goals. It should also ensure that they contribute more effectively while in your team as well.
Give Them Flexibility and Variety Where Possible
For many PRINCE2 team members, the flexibility and variety of project work is the best thing about it. They may love the idea of working flexible hours, of working from home at times, of travelling and of learning lots of new skills.
Therefore, you should make every effort to help them enjoy these benefits. You can do this by organising your projects well and then looking for ways to keep them interesting. If you do then you can expect your staff to be more highly motivated.
It shouldn’t take a huge effort on your part to make your projects fairer to everyone involved with them. By putting some thought into how you will approach each aspect of the work you can put a smile on everyone’s face and get better results as well.