How one boss kept his staff motivated for over a decade.

Business development director, Vasco de Castro, has been instrumental in growing his office fruit delivery service Fruitful Office into a flourishing international success.

Now delivering fresh fruit to businesses across the United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium and Germany, the business has been blossoming for the past eleven years. A great deal of this success rests on the shoulders of the dependable team de Castro has helped to nurture over the last fifteen years.

In a recent interview, de Castro spoke in greater detail about the important role the growing Fruitful Office team has played in the success of the business as it has expanded, both in the UK and overseas:

“…as the business grows you simply can’t do everything and be everywhere – so you have to surround yourself with a great team that you trust and feel comfortable delegating to..

…the team must share a common goal and be passionate about achieving it – so that they personally ‘care’ for the success of the business, as if it were their own.”

In today’s increasingly cynical and stressful working world, building a team that legitimately cares about its employer is no mean feat. So how, exactly did de Castro make it happen? To help inspire you to foster a strong team of employees who feel a positive connection to your business, we’ve curated some of Vasco’s most insightful pointers and words of wisdom below for your benefit.

1. Create a sense of ownership

Call it selfish, but we’re more likely to work harder and care more about things which “belong” to us. This is true when it comes to our jobs too. Workers who feel like they play an active role in a company which cares about them are more likely to feel invested in their jobs. This means harder, more motivated workers who deliver better results.

As de Castro explains, a “feeling of ‘ownership’ must be present right throughout the business – from packers to senior management.”

So how can you help staff feel a sense of ownership? From ensuring the business has a compelling mission (Fruitful Office wants to improve health and diet in the workplace), to operating transparently, helping staff find niches they love and ensuring they feel valued, there are lots of ways to help make this happen.

2. Be selective

Building a dream team will take time, but taking on staff members who are a fundamentally poor fit and who drain morale and resources is not the recipe for success. One of de Castro’s top tips for business success is to “Surround yourself with the right people, ensuring they share your passion and vision.”. Carefully hand-pick staff members rather than “panic buy” when a vacancy arises in order to grow effectively.

He recommends that you also spend time and energy in creating a bespoke set of interview questions that will help guide you from the very first meeting towards potential employees who are a better fit for your business.

3. Empower staff

From “Giving your team the tools to be heard and really ‘make a difference’”, to “empowering them to make suggestions and take action.” de Castro has found that “Making a difference is incredibly motivating and rewarding”.

If employees are able to see themselves and their contributions to the business, they will feel empowered to do more, work harder and share insights into their portion of their processes, keeping them engaged and feeding the company with lots of valuable ideas and information. Here are few tips for better employee empowerment.

Do you agree with de Castro’s motivational tips? How have you helped staff feel empowered and connected within your business? Share your insights with other readers.