Employee morale refers to mood-related factors that employees feel at the workplace. It is said the morale is high or positive when the workforce is generally happy and content about what they are doing. This can breathe life into the workplace while enhancing efficiency, teamwork, and productivity. It is the dream of any employer to see their workforce in a good mood and working with the best interests of the company at heart. The following tips can help you find that ambiance of happiness, contentment, and confidence.
1. Allow and facilitate office customization
Anyone would feel comfortable and work more productively in an office that’s set up with their aesthetic preferences in mind. Giving your employees the freedom to customize their desks and offices can go a long way toward boosting their comfort through their shifts. They can use free printable paper stickers to place various messages and designs on the walls and desks and install traditional décor elements of their choice. This could be mats, wall art, drapery, and more.
2. Develop a healthy workplace environment
A healthy working environment usually describes the look and feeling of a workplace, but there’s more to it than that. It is also about how staff, supervisors, and managers comport and the size of the gaps between the company’s echelons. An ideal work environment is one with great interpersonal connections between employees regardless of their roles in the company.
3. Reward good work
A survey shows that nearly half of employees would quit their jobs if their managers did not appreciate them. As an administrator or supervisor, you should realize that employees need to feel appreciated, even if the compliment doesn’t come with any reward. Sometimes employees feel like they are doing more than their wages merit, and the only way you can show them you are aware of it is to acknowledge it in front of everyone. Introducing physical gifts or other forms of reward, including holidays, promotions, and days off, may also incentivize hard work at the office.
4. Be personal
Studies show that employees might actually be more productive when they are not under direct supervision. This is not to say you shouldn’t get close to your workforce. Employees want to feel recognized as part of the family. If the gap between you and them is too big, they might assume you’re viewing them as peripheral, replaceable pieces in the company structure.
5. Organise team-building activities
Managing a team of employees is a demanding task, and some of them might feel left out. Team building activities recreate employee bonds lost during work tussles at the office.
Research indicates that employees who partake in team building activities are highly motivated and collaborative; they have extensive problem-solving skills, are creative and maintain meaningful work relationships with colleagues.
You can organise outdoor team building activities alongside offsite team outings to break the monotonous office routine. Outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, or visiting the nearby museum offer great venues for team building games such as scavenger hunt, or office trivia challenges.
6. Train your managers
If you are managing a large workforce, then you need managers to manage different departments, and you don’t want poorly trained managers who will frustrate employees through poor leadership tactics.
Your managers should be equipped with skills in emotional intelligence, proper communication, feedback generation, employee recognition, and various leadership styles through relevant training. Also, training elevates the managers’ morale in their job and loyalty to your company.
7. Facilitate employee growth
Having a sense of purpose is a good source of morale for employees. Therefore, offering them an opportunity for career development and growth gives them personal goals to achieve while working for you. You can reward excellent performance with a promotion or other options such as sending them to a conference or sponsoring them to further their education.
8. Provide a flexible working schedule
Research has shown that most white-collar workers barely take lunch breaks. It is wise to have a flexible working schedule for your employees that allows them to take short breaks during office hours.
Professionals recommend taking at least a 5-minute break every 1 hour. Having a resting space or an office coffee maker gives workers an excuse to take those necessary coffee recesses. Breaks help declutter one’s minds and is a good morale booster.
9. Provide performance feedback
It is not uncommon for new employees to be confused about their exact role in an organization’s overall agenda. You can ease them into their new roles by providing performance feedback. Commend them for what they are getting right and recommend suggestions for improvement where they are needed.
Endnote
Your workplace environment should be open, honest and positive for employees. Productivity has more to do with mood and morale than you think. Use these tips to create a healthier work environment and get the most out of your workforce.
