How do you keep your crew motivated and paid when work slows down?

Every year, that slow season creeps up on us. One minute the phones are blowing up, and the next it feels like the world goes quiet. When jobs slow down, keeping your crew busy and positive can be a real challenge.  

I’ve tried different things over the years. Training days, cleaning up the shop, and even team outings just to keep morale up. But the truth is, it’s hard when the pipeline dries up. 

How do you keep your team motivated and paid when things get slow? Do you cut hours, find smaller projects, focus on marketing, or use the time for business planning?

I’d love to hear what has worked for you and how you turn downtime into momentum for the next busy wave.