Bangalore: Managers at every level are now asked to do more with fewer hands. A lean organisation has its advantages, but motivating five people to do the work of ten needs some skills that team leaders need to acquire.

"With smaller teams, a lot of informality becomes necessary and while office discipline has to be maintained, there cannot be rigid rules to follow or directing things by remote control," says former HR head and now consultant M.K. Rao.

Both rewards and reprimands now take unusual forms. In the BPO sector, for instance, an exceptionally well-performing team gets an outing, all expenses paid, but as a group. Some management go one step beyond and invite families. There are some IT firms that invite employees' children over to come and see where their fathers or mothers work and what they actually do during the long hours away from home.

"At office outings, team games are encouraged and team spirit is everything. It can be a tug-of-war between two small groups or dumb charades with teams split up or even Antakshari. There may be mini-quiz and group singing contests. At the end of the day, not only are working day blues left behind, but also team members develop closer bonds as do team leader with those he/she supervises," says Mr. Rao.

Managements have also made it easier for working mothers by allotting projects they can do from home for part of the time and then complete them in the office with laptops coming in handy, he says. Unless there are deadline pressures and the need for strict confidentiality, flexible working hours are allowed within limits in the non-call centre jobs. Within call centres too, staffers are encouraged to rotate shifts so that nobody can complain about lack of social life. Companies also organise team motivation meetings, away from the office. These may often be at resorts with entertainment.

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