How much do you know about your employees? Do they feel happy? While we’re not necessarily talking about the trite idea of “whistling while you work” it’s crucial to keep them motivated and avoid low morale. When morale is low you can struggle to keep your staff which will result in poor performance and reduced collaboration. But when you spot the signs of low morale it’s important to incorporate positive changes as soon as possible before it’s a struggle to fight against the tide.
What are the best ways to improve employee morale in little ways?
An Environment Of Encouragement
There are so many little ways that we can encourage our employees. While the more obvious approaches include positive feedback and an open-door policy if you don’t have the opportunity to interact with every member of staff you’ve got to figure out ways to make it a part of the environment within your walls. You can do this, literally, by having morale boosters emblazoned on the walls.
You could use laser engraved brick to print statements of encouragement which can help to bolster that feeling of motivation in your employees. A lot of businesses continually push their ethics through their promotional material. And it’s exactly the same thing that you need to incorporate within the four walls of your business.
Get Rid Of The Toxic Personalities
When people feel unable to speak up or there is a culture of fear it’s important to truly look at what is going on. If there are employees in positions of power that are condescending or only give negative feedback these feelings of negativity will spread like wildfire throughout the business.
Getting rid of these toxic personalities will minimize poor behavior, but it’s also sending a message to those that have been on the receiving end that you care. Once you begin to weed these things out it will have a bigger impact on employee morale than you realize. You can feel that the air has been lifted.
Incorporate Playtime
It’s not just about giving your employees the opportunity to let their hair down for a few minutes a day but it’s also a great way to calm down a tense environment. You can install game systems in the break room or incorporate other creative practices so people will feel that they can focus their efforts on something else.
We have to remember that when morale is low it could very well be due to the conveyor belt nature of their job. But when you start to incorporate creativity, play, and humor, this will help people to relax and realize that work isn’t everything.
This is something that we can all learn from. If we continue to push targets and deadlines our employees will feel that you just want them to serve the company and nothing else. You want your employees to feel that there is a balance and this comes from you, how you lead, and communicate your messages.
Morale is such a wide-ranging concept but you also have to remember it’s got to be in line with your business ethics. The culture needs to represent what the business is all about. And if you want people to feel happier you’ve got to pull out the stops.
© New To HR