Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1479467
G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 • G R A P H I C S P R O 7 1 struggle the way I did? Do I really want them to miss out on very important time with family? I missed out on the first five years of my 19-year-old daughter's life, which I would do it all again, but can I make it a little bit easier at work to succeed if they meet us in the middle? Yes! About four months ago I noticed my team's morale dropped big time due to the increased volume of work and some of our struc- ture breaking down due to the sheer volume, so my wife and I had a meeting. She took over customer service 100%, and I took over production 100%. She restructured her team, and I did the same. I went to each production team and worked with them for at least two weeks to see where the cracks were in our system and what training we may have failed to provide due to just try- ing to keep production running on time. Right now, we are up 52% in production/sales for the year and our team is extremely happy every day. We are an average of three to five days ahead of completing each order before their due date. Morale is more than just making your staff happy and spend- ing money. It is about building a healthy work environment that can prosper for all. Yes, we carry all the risk, but imagine if you groom your team to help take on some of the stress as a team! You will never make everyone happy that is for sure, but if you can set a goal of 95% or higher, that will be the driving force behind the long-term success for your company! GP Howard Potter has worked in the promotional industry for 17 years, from designing to building brands and a family-owned business. He is the co-owner and CEO of A&P Master Images LLC with his wife, Amanda. Their company offers graphic design, screen printing, embroidery, sublimation, vinyl graphics, and promotional items. Howard, his family, and the business reside in Utica, New York. For more information, please visit masteryourimage.com.