One of the most important facets of starting, growing and running a successful business is building a good team. As an entrepreneur, once you have the right people on board, you should continuously show them why they made the right decision to work for you. In addition to increased productivity and teamwork in the office, taking care of your employees will ultimately reward you by your employees taking care of your clients in return. So what are some things you can do to nurture your employees?

Here at Far West Capital, we offer weekly catering, flexible time off and health care incentives. We also arrange occasional team-building activities that get us out of the office for some good ole’ team bonding and fun! Our most recent outing was this past weekend at K1 Speed – an indoor kart-racing track. And boy, did we have a blast! After zooming around the track and stirring up some friendly competition, we announced the winner of the Far West Five Core Value Award for the second quarter: Trisha Leerssen.

Trisha was recognized for being a constant model of our core values here at Far West Capital. She puts the team’s needs over her individual needs, displays passion in every task she works on, executes with excellence by holding herself to the highest of standards, and is always transparent with the team and our clients.

Trisha was just one of 19 nominees that we had to choose from, all of whom represent our core values on a daily basis. By recognizing stellar employees like Trisha, we are unleashing the potential of our team to the fullest, and giving them an added incentive for being a great model of our core values.

As a business owner, it can be difficult to build rapport amongst team members, and even tougher to introduce a new member in an established team. Outings that bring your employees together (with you alongside) can help break the ice and yield a team that is far more confident and able to work together.

It’s easy to get caught up in the long hours and tight deadlines, so get creative with finding activities and incentives that align with your core values and mission. Start with just one activity – participate in a 5K, volunteer at your favorite organization, or simply take your employees on a quarterly outing to your favorite restaurant or outdoor spot. The results will make it worth your while, and you’ll have fun in the process knowing that you helped provide this rewarding experience.

How do you invest in unleashing your team’s potential?