8-POINT GAME PLAN TO BOOST EMPLOYEE MORALE
Employee morale refers to the happiness of employees in the workplace. It has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on performance and productivity. The focus of every organization should be on the employees' satisfaction, attitude and outlook. Providing a good and conducive working environment goes a long way to boost employees’ morale. It helps in keeping employees longer in the business and curbing staff turnover.
It is the responsibility of every manager to hire competent staff and create an environment for all to give their best. Here are some of the strategies every manager can adopt to boost the morale of their employees.
1) Be Transparent
When difficulties arise in the organizational culture, chances are your employees will notice. That said, do not avoid conversations with them or tend to hide problems from them. Instead, inform them about the challenges and explain the measures you intend to employ to curb them.
Inform your employees about changes and current updates in the organization. Employees value honesty and will accord you respect as you work towards fixing any issues.
Moreover, frequently check on the employees by asking:
- How do you feel about the job and your colleagues?
- Do you feel valuable in the workplace? How can I be of better help?
- Are there any challenges? How can I be of more help?
Openness and constant communication on matters and achievements are critical to your staff. Psychological safety forms the basis of a strong team with high morale.
2) Give Your Employees Recognition
Your employees need to be recognized and appreciated when they do well. When employees feel valued by their bosses, their productivity improves as much as their sense of belonging; therefore, they feel valued themselves.
Research has shown that employees who receive recognition from their employer experience:
- Increased productivity
- High morale
- Increased level of customer satisfaction
- Improved levels of engagement
- Increased loyalty to the organization
Recognizing your staff is an easy way to boost their morale. It gives them a feeling of accomplishment and belonging in their workplace. The recognition can not only help improve their engagement within the company, but it can also enhance their loyalty to the organization and minimize turnover.
3) Encourage Employee Development
Make your employees feel they have a purpose so that they can focus on achieving their goals. Allow them to develop their skills through gaining more knowledge. Promote community events that will boost teamwork and contribution. Create opportunities for employees to enroll for courses, attend conferences and achieve their personal goals as well.
Offering training and development programs enables your workforce to grow career-wise. While they tend to learn and gain more experience from these programs, they can also feel valued and appreciated by their employers as they’re being invested in.
4) Listen to Your Employees
It is clear that how the bosses and their employees relate determines the success of a business. It is, therefore, crucial to interact positively with your staff to help boost their morale. Taking time to listen to your employees’ feedback makes them feel heard.
A manager needs to show actions taken on the feedback given by their employees and thank them for their insights. Doing so helps in trust-building and positively impacts their view of management, and, as the saying goes – good management equals a good work environment.
Managers need to be encouraged to have meetings with their employees to minimize burnout in their staff. Enlighten the employees on managing time, help them reduce stress and show interest in their lives outside work. These strategies benefit employees and management while boosting business growth.
5) Encourage Real Breaks
Studies have shown that workers engaged in white-collar jobs barely take breaks for lunch, meaning that the majority of employees take their lunch break at their respective places of work.
When individuals interact in a different environment, they become more creative and innovative. Encourage your staff to take breaks from their desks for a few minutes throughout the day. When this becomes engrained in the culture of the organization, employees tend to feel happier, more creative, more positive and less stressed.
6) Hold Team Building Events
Ask for suggestions from the employees on activities they would like to participate in. Doing so will help you organize a customized event and give them a feeling of belonging and ownership. It will lead to a collaborative work culture and open communication, as well as motivating and helping boost employee morale.
Make the event fun and educative. It may not serve as a long-term solution, but it goes a long way in reviving employees.
7) Train Managers to Become Extraordinary Coaches
Managers have a direct impact on the engagement and morale of employees in the organization. It is important for managers to be coached on good leadership styles, good communication skills and also how to monitor and support morale.
Managers should take into consideration the implementation of an open-door policy. In this case, employees will be free to give feedback and share concerns when need be.
8) Encourage One-on-Ones
Make sure you have frequent conversations with your employees. Have individual meetings and talks on matters that may be affecting them directly. In this case, employees feel supported and are encouraged to perform their best.
Give the leaders in your organization an effective structure for one-on-ones. Establish ways to help you understand and know your staff well. As a result, they will spend ample time in conversation, leading to increased engagement, productivity and trust.
Openness and constant communication on matters and achievements are critical to your staff. Inasmuch as employee morale is concerned, conversations are key.
Final Thoughts
Boosting employee morale is critical for a business that is concerned with attracting a skilled workforce, minimizing turnover, and having motivated employees. The trick is to adopt strategies that benefit the workers and the organization before they feel demoralized. In this case, work on strengthening the leadership and focusing on the personal and professional growth of your workforce. It is wise to invest in the happiness of your employees. If your employees are happy at work, they will perform better at their respective jobs, and your business will increase in success as a result.