Promoting Team Well-Being And Growth: A Tech Leader’s Guide

For technology teams across industries, every day is a challenging one. Many of the processes in today’s digital workplace require reliable, 24/7 access to technology tools, and if the team is also tasked with building customer-facing products, the rounds of research, building, testing and refining can seem endless.

As a technology leader, ensuring your team’s success requires more than just assigning tasks and setting deadlines. Supporting work-life balance and providing professional development aren’t just nice “perks,” but strategic imperatives. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council share practical, impactful ways to promote your tech team’s well-being and growth.

1. Have Routine One-On-One Check-Ins

As a tech leader, it’s important to have routine one-on-one check-ins to show investment in each individual’s growth and well-being. Leaders should be proactive in creating working relationships that are healthy and focused on the long-term success and fulfillment of all team members. Effective leadership and communication support ongoing development, as well as an inclusive workplace. – Shayan Hamidi, Rechat

2. Share Detailed Information On The Problems You’re Solving

Take time to articulate the problems you plan to solve and, more importantly, why they are important. Context is key to understanding and alignment. Teams burn out because they don’t believe what they do drives impact. They will show tremendous effort when they believe they drive positive outcomes. Bring everyone along on the journey instead of providing a list of tasks to be executed. – Heidi Farris, ActivTrak

3. Help Them Develop Their Personal Goals

As individuals, we often don’t take the time to step back, look at where we want to be in three to five years’ time, and set specific goals to reach this new state (of competency, skills, seniority and so on). Helping each of your team members by taking a few hours each year to truly reflect on their current state and their ambitions and develop their personal goals will provide great motivation and alignment. – Stephen Farrugia, BAI Communications

4. Encourage Continuous Learning

Tech leaders must encourage their teams to pursue continuous learning to ensure their future relevance. This should include not only assuming new responsibilities or taking on new projects, but also pursuing formal training or certifications in areas such as artificial intelligence or cloud computing. Importantly, leaders must recognize that such learning is primarily for the benefit of the individual employee; benefits for the company are secondary. – Douglas Murray, Auvik

5. Invest In Professional Development Opportunities

One step I recommend is fostering an environment of continuous learning and growth for your team. Invest in professional development opportunities such as training sessions, conferences and mentorship programs. Tech professionals highly value this focus on upskilling and personal growth, as it enhances their expertise and keeps them engaged and motivated. – Juta Gurinaviciute, NordLayer

6. Create A High-Performance Culture

Technology leaders should intentionally focus on creating a high-performance culture. The most impactful action is delivering powerful and authentic communication on this critical theme. Executive communication must focus on the value of well-being and personal learning and development, appreciation of efforts, and recognizing (and rewarding) those champions who invest time in self-improvement. – Brendan Hooft, ESPER

7. Launch A ‘Project Incubator’

Launch a “project incubator” initiative, allowing team members to pitch and develop their own tech projects with company support. It’s a powerful way to show trust in your team’s innovative capabilities and nurture their entrepreneurial spirit. This approach sparks creativity and paves the way for groundbreaking solutions that could define the future of tech in your company. – Sandro Shubladze, Datamam

8. Implement Flexible Work Schedules

Leaders should consider implementing flexible work schedules tailored to individual needs and productivity patterns. Tech professionals, who often face high-pressure environments and burnout, would highly value this recognition of work-life balance and personal health. This approach encourages a culture of trust and respect, leading to increased job satisfaction, loyalty and better team performance. – Shelli Brunswick, SB Global LLC

9. Challenge ‘Crunch Culture’

Challenge the “crunch culture” that says we all have to work a 60-hour week a few times per year, and that’s just the way things are. Emergencies happen, but prevent the crunch as much as you can with thoughtful planning, reasonable timelines and flexible schedules. Motivated employees may work late, but not requiring extra effort because of your own poor planning will build trust in team members who know you care. – Luke Wallace, Bottle Rocket

10. Allow Mental Health Days

Having mental health days has been proven to promote well-being and increase productivity in our company. Our team members know that they can always rest when they feel emotionally exhausted and finish their work when they are more effective. Plus, such a practice prevents burnout. – Yuriy Berdnikov, Perpetio

11. Have Team Members Disable Email On Days Off

Disabling email on days off can go a long way toward improving employees’ quality of life. Thanks to the ready availability of emails on our mobile devices, our work is always only one swipe away. Disabling mobile email on weekends or days off ensures that your employees are recharging. This, in turn, increases their well-being, work satisfaction and productivity on work days. – Kevin Korte, Univention

12. Establish A Mentorship Program

Technology leaders shouldn’t underestimate the power of mentorship. Establishing a mentorship program that focuses on training, upskilling, goal setting and managing challenges will help employees grow professionally and personally. One-on-one support and guidance are invaluable and will have a tremendous long-term impact on both your tech team members’ careers and the organization. – Carlos Morales, Vercara

13. Encourage Giving Back To The Community

Tech leaders should create opportunities for their team members to give back to the community. Encourage participation in company-sponsored volunteer events or donation drives. Offer paid time off for volunteering. Match employees’ donations to causes they care about. When tech professionals feel they’re making a difference beyond the company’s walls, they’ll find deeper meaning and purpose in their work. – Marc Fischer, Dogtown Media LLC

14. Foster A Culture Of Open Communication

One specific step tech leaders can take is fostering a culture of open communication and regular feedback. This allows team members to feel supported, acknowledged and empowered in their growth. Tech professionals highly value this effort as it promotes a sense of belonging, boosts morale and enhances overall job satisfaction, leading to better performance and retention. – Favour Femi-Oyewole, Access Bank PLC

15. Pitch In To Help With The Work

Nobody likes a boss who barks orders and doesn’t ever step up to help with the work. Doing so stunts team members’ professional growth and lets them know they aren’t valued. Whereas instead, taking on obstacles alongside your team fosters a “tour de force” mindset and instills within the team culture the notion that leadership doesn’t ask of others what they are not willing to do themselves. – Vikas Khorana, Ntooitive Digital

16. Celebrate Professional And Personal Milestones

Take some time to celebrate both the professional achievements and personal milestones of your employees. Recognize and celebrate personal events, including birthdays, anniversaries or new additions to families, demonstrating empathy and building positive connections. When your team feels appreciated and seen, this positive reinforcement motivates them to keep working for amazing results. – Oleksandr Mykolaienko, Tallium Inc.

17. Foster Diversity And Psychological Safety

Encourage an environment where team members feel safe bringing their complete selves to work, taking risks, embracing the potential for failure, challenging the status quo and persistently pursuing innovation. The tech industry is characterized by high-pressure environments, so providing psychological safety is key for employees to thrive. – Prashant Ketkar, Parallels (part of Alludo)

18. Make Time For ‘Team Talk’

Have an open-door policy and create spaces for regular “team talk” time. This could be a catch-up session to talk about everything from work projects to personal goals. These regular check-ins help your team members feel valued and listened to, and it’s your chance to guide and support them. They will more than return the favor through employee loyalty and productivity. – Gergo Vari, Lensa, Inc.

19. Reimburse Wellness Spending

Offering wellness programs, such as reimbursing the costs of gym membership or personal training, is a great option. Other easy but impactful strategies include fun team-building activities and outings or bringing lunch to the office a few times a quarter to make the lunch hour more social. Professionals value these efforts because they show the company cares about them as people, not just as employees. – Jordan Yallen, MetaTope

20. Create A ‘Tech Sabbatical’ Program

Creating a “tech sabbatical” program that allows employees to take a paid break to pursue tech-related passions or humanitarian projects. This initiative underscores a deep commitment to employee fulfillment and social impact, which resonates with tech professionals who are driven by innovation and a desire to make a difference. – Andrew Blackman, EZ Cloud

Originally published on Forbes.