Published December 15, 2024

Employee morale is a key indicator of the health of your company. Your employees’ motivation and participation are the foundation on which your success rests, so there’s hardly anything more important than to make sure they’re feeling good.
Consistently monitoring employee morale via established feedback channels is an essential element of good management in today’s business environment. But what do you do if the feedback you receive is less than stellar?
As they say, knowing is half the battle. The other half, of course, is taking action. Here are five actions you can take to boost morale when it’s flagging.
Prioritize your employees’ work-life balance. Employees who feel that work is taking over their lives are apt to be unhappy, but they’re less than likely to complain to the boss about it for fear of looking insufficiently dedicated. That’s why the first place to look for the cause of tanking morale is your employees’ ability to balance their work and their lives. Are your employees working late, emailing at all hours, and showing signs of being overwhelmed? Do the ones who have asked for flexible schedules have them? Is remote work an option for some or all? Put yourself in your employee’s shoes and think about whether their lives might be a little too work-focused for their own good. Then make changes to correct the imbalance.
Cultivate two-way trust. Employees feel valued when they trust you and when they perceive that you trust them. This isn’t a state of affairs that just arises on its own — two-way trust has to be cultivated as part of your company culture. To help them trust you, create an ethos of transparency by sharing how you make important decisions and the standards you use to set policies that affect them. Then show that you trust them by, well… trusting them. Take the attitude that you won’t look over their shoulders as long as they’re getting their work done well and on time. Work on open, authentic, transparent communications so all employees feel valued and included. When considering morale it is critical to ensure that your team’s goals and values are in sync with your businesses. And, clear communication is the only way to genuinely align your employees with your company’s mission Proactively build relationships with your workers. Some business leaders may think saying “my door is always open” is enough to make employees feel their voices are valued. But think of that as the bare minimum you should do — a place to start. After you’ve made sure your employees know they can always come to you with questions and concerns, find ways to reach out to build your relationship with them and cultivate a deep sense of rapport and trust. There are many ways of doing this, some formal, some casual. However you go about it, the goal is to identify developing problems before someone even has to knock on that always-open door. A positive attitude starts with the business’ leaders. Monroe Gang, CEO of Atlantic Partners says: “If the CEO’s mentality isn’t positive, then it will trickle down throughout the rest of the tiers within the company. As a leader, it is your responsibility to remain optimistic in the face of adversity, as well as serve as a role model for everyone else in all situations – no matter how challenging or frustrating they may be.”
Support employee participation in workplace culture
Employees who are active participants in shaping their workplaces tend to feel more connected to the company and invested in their jobs. One way to tap into this dynamic is to encourage and support employee-led initiatives. These can take a wide variety of shapes, from lunch & learn presentations to charity fundraising efforts to ongoing foreign-language clubs. Allowing workers to participate in employee-led ventures during work hours makes it official that you value these efforts to make the workplace more enriching for everyone.
Recognize and acknowledge positive performance. People love to receive recognition for their hard work. In fact, some studies indicate that plaudits, praise, and non-monetary awards are even more motivating to employees than pay raises and bonuses. Of course, pay raises and bonuses can certainly help boost morale as well, especially if you perceive that your workers feel underpaid. Whichever combination of recognition and pay you choose to boost morale, approach this endeavor in a spirit of joy and generosity.
We all know that low company morale has a negative impact on the entire organization. Low morale results in: loss of income, decreased productivity, chronic absenteeism, increased conflicts at work, higher turnover rates, lack of talent retention, and poor brand image. Skye Schooley, at Business News Daily, advises: With stress, anxiety, and uncertainty often at high levels today in and outside the workplace, it’s crucial for businesses to seek morale-boosting measures to establish and maintain a happy workforce and a positive company culture. If your business suffers from low employee morale and burned-out workers, you can implement several strategies to improve optimism and boost employee satisfaction.
Contributed by Marc L. Goldberg, Certified Mentor, SCORE Cape Cod & Islands – www.score.org/capecod, 508/ 775-4884. Free and Confidential Mentoring. Source: ASK Score 2023, 10 Way to Boost Company Morale, Skye Schooley, Business News Daily 120623
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