By Barron Rosborough

Small businesses are often confronted with the same problems as larger companies. However, they usually don’t have the same access to capital to solve those problems. So what’s left for them to do?

Get creative! And this is where the strength of small businesses lies, especially when it comes to their people. As a small business, nothing is more crucial to your success than your team and how your team functions as a unit. So, what do you do if your people are having trouble communicating, they can’t figure out how to clearly delegate responsibilities for a project, or someone’s having a hard time contributing?

Gallup estimates that disengaged employees cost U.S. business up to $550 billion a year. While a larger business could hire someone to solve this sort of problem or spend thousands on a team-building retreat, small business owners don’t have that luxury. Especially not when you’re thinking about investing every spare dollar back into the business to help it grow.

The short answer is: Make it personal. The advantage you have as a small business owner is the capacity for personalization and attention to the individual.

Your team is your business, so it’s critical to make sure that it’s running optimally. Here are three team building strategies you can implement with your team right now that won’t cost you a dime:

-Stoke the flames of competition.

Use your team to motivate your team. Weave a competitive aspect into your goals and make progress visible to your team to inspire others to emulate your top performer.

Most importantly, keep it positive and friendly.

–Grab a buddy.

The buddy system may conjure memories of awkward adolescence, but consider this: Designate a partner for each team member with the simple goal of promoting friendship. In a Randstad Work Watch survey, 67% of respondents reported that it makes your job more fun and enjoyable when you work with a friend, and 55% found their jobs more worthwhile and satisfying.

Being able to identify with the people you work with as friends will help your team communicate better and perceive their work more in the service of a larger goal than their personal success.

-Celebrate the Wins!

Find a way to recognize your team when it succeeds or reaches a goal. It doesn’t take much, especially if you take the time to get to know your team. A shout out or a card with a few sincere kind words and anecdotes goes a long way.

Businesses that recognize their employees regularly have 31% less voluntary turnover than businesses that don’t, according to a recent Officevibe report.

What are you waiting for? You can work all of these suggestions into your company’s culture right now and they cost next to nothing. It’s never too late to create a better environment for your people and your business to thrive, and there’s no better time than the present to make it happen.

For more creative and fun ideas to strengthen your team and super charge their production, click here!

Author Bio:

Barron Rosborough is a seasoned digital marketer and writer from Los Angeles, CA. He writes on topics ranging from wellness to leadership (and everything in between). He is currently the Digital Marketing Coordinator at SnackNation, a curated healthy snack subscription service for offices and homes.