Coming into an unfamiliar environment is often challenging. Entering a new company culture in a position of leadership is even more difficult. After all, it can be tough to connect with a completely new set of employees when they know very little about you, and you know even less about them. If this situation sounds familiar, then know that we’re here to help. Here are five ways new managers, bosses, CEOs, and owners can get off on the right foot with a new team and earn instant respect:

Familiarize

Maybe you’re an experienced executive who is used to leading a team. Or, maybe this is your first time in a managerial role. Either way, the first step toward success is familiarizing yourself with both your team members and the way your company operates. Don’t assume that you know everything there is to know. Instead, listen to your employees and focus on issues that matter to them most.

Offer Something for Nothing

Want to ensure that your employees have a solid first impression of you? Then take the initiative to do something for their benefit. This could be something small –– like taking your staff out to lunch or a happy hour. Or, it could be more substantial –– like implementing an employee training and development program. Either way, the best way to show that you care about more than the bottom line is to demonstrate your empathy and do something for others.

Give Credit Where it’s Due

It’s likely that any new leader at a company will have plenty of fresh ideas they want to roll out. They may even have a negative perception of the previous regime as a whole. However, don’t be afraid to praise the good work of your predecessors or current employees. It doesn’t take much to give credit where it’s due, and a kind word here or there to a staff member is a simple and effective way to boost morale around the office.

Help

Your team has problems. Even the most effective and efficient businesses on the planet have some internal issues that need to be resolved. The best business leaders seek out problems and do their bit to solve them. It makes a lot of sense to get involved with the nitty-gritty of how your team functions early on. Doing so will also help you craft more meaningful plans in the future.

Be Yourself

People respond to genuine enthusiasm and passion. Trying to manufacture a false “work personna” won’t help you win over any skeptical team members. Instead, just be yourself. All good leaders have to be honest with themselves and with others –– so be willing to put yourself out there!

Building healthy habits is a tall task. Indeed, though millions of Americans want to lose weight and be healthier, relatively few people are successful in that endeavor. The simple fact is that it’s easy to get discouraged and frustrated when trying to lose weight. Thankfully, we’re here to help. Here are five effective ways to stay positive while dieting and exercising to ensure that you achieve your goals:

Avoid Keeping up with the Joneses

For many, hearing about how a friend, colleague, or acquaintance was able to lose a huge amount of weight in a short period of time isn’t inspiring. On the contrary, it can be extremely damaging to a person’s psyche if they feel others are outperforming them. This is why it’s crucial not to fall into this way of thinking. Don’t try to outdo or match the progress of others. Instead, just focus on bettering yourself a little bit each day. You’re only competing with yourself –– not anyone else at the gym.

Try New Things

Any routine, no matter how beneficial, is likely to get boring after a while. As such, make it a point to freshen things up if your diet or exercise regimen has gone stale. Sample new fruits and vegetables or sign up for a sports team to stay active. Remember, there’s more than one way to lose weight and live happier.

Partner Up

Working out alone can become somewhat of a slog if you’re not careful. The good news is that it’s fairly easy –– and very advantageous –– to find an exercise partner or group. Statistically, people who work out with others enjoy more success than those who exercise on their own.

Forget About the Scale

It’s natural for people who are working out and dieting extensively to want to see tangible effects from their efforts. Yet, fretting over the scale every day isn’t healthy or wise. Weight loss is a fluid process. One week you could lose five pounds and the next five ounces doing the exact same things. If you’re going through a tough time, forget about the scale for a week or two and just live in the moment.

Talk to Your Doctor

Feeling especially down about your weight-loss prospects? Then call up your doctor and schedule an appointment. They might be able to help you form a more effective diet and exercise schedule, or they might be able to diagnose an issue that’s holding you back. Remember, doctors are compassionate people who have access to a wide range of useful tools like 24 well plates and collection needles. So don’t hesitate to reach out to your M.D. when you need a helping hand!

Breakout rooms in an office workspace is a perfect way for your employees to escape from their normal work and feel more relaxed in their office environment. It can be positive for the way they think and promote better wellbeing during stressful times in work.

Whether your office is only 1000 square meters or 10,000 square meters, it’s important that you’re able incorporate a space where your employees can get away from their normal desk and be productive in alternative ways.

If you’re looking to incorporate a breakout space at your business, here are a few tips for ideas that can make the interior extra effective and useful for your employees.

Collaboration Cubicles

An innovative idea that can really help your employees be creative in a unique way is the use of collaborative cubicles. These include human-size whiteboards which are the ultimate tool for brainstorming ideas together. Stand-up tables provide consistent blood flow around the body and helps with posture in the long term. Adding large screens in the ‘cubicles’ can also provide your employees with the tools to bring their ideas into a digital format.

‘Home’ Furniture

It’s fair to say that we feel most relaxed when we’re cosy in our front room with a cuppa and blanket with the fire on. Although this environment can’t be completely immitated in the workspace, incorporating similar furniture can be a great way to help your staff relax and socially interact with one another. Furniture pieces such as designer sofas and luxury coffee tables that you normally find in the home can remind your employees of where they feel most comfortable.

Writable Walls

Teams tend to brainstorm and allow their creative ideas to flow more effectively when they’re able to see their ideas visibly on a large scale. There can be many occasions when we have an idea pop into our head that is useful, but at the time we have nowhere to write it. By implementing writable walls that partition the room in different ways, this provides plenty of space for employees to showcase their ideas at any time. The work area of the breakout room can make the most of floor-to-ceiling whiteboards which employees can use to brainstorm and make the most of the space they have.

Flexible Furniture

This style of furniture tends to consider the working aspect of furniture compared to the ‘home’ furniture which encourages the employees to relax. Flexible furniture removes the idea of isolation and segregation between colleagues. Instead, you can add furniture to your breakout room that can easily separate and come together to stimulate collaborative working. These types of furniture can include sofas, desks, tables and more. Bringing more people together can promote more ideas and effective learning.

Breakout Spaces are Crucial for Your Business

The definition of breakout rooms can vary from business to business but what you include in there should be able to achieve one common goal: providing employees with options of how they wish to utilise it. Employees can work differently in environments depending on their preference. Providing these options can help to improve mood and benefit their productivity.