9 Simple Steps to Boost Employee Morale
When employees don’t feel appreciated by their employers, it can make it hard for them to feel motivated to do the best job they can. An employee who feels like a valued part of the team will be inspired to perform well for the company, and the results will be apparent.
Here are some simple steps you can take to give your business a positive atmosphere conducive to happy workers:
Time is Precious
You can’t stop time or turn it back, but you can give time off work to your employees as a reward for a job well done. Using a day off work as a bonus is one of the best motivational tools in your positive reinforcement arsenal.
Treat Them Like Adults
It seems obvious, yet many managers talk to their employees as if they are reprimanding naughty children. This is not only dehumanizing, but can backfire, becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy because if you treat people like children, they may act accordingly. Remember that your workers are adult human beings who deserve respect, not condescension.
Money is Magnificent
Offering financial bonuses, gift cards, products like iPads and incentive vacation trips as rewards for exceeding productivity expectations can encourage a good-natured competitive atmosphere in your workplace to push employees to perform at their personal best.
Keep Criticism Private
If you’re having an issue with someone, always discuss it in private, away from other people. What may seem like harmless constructive criticism to you may be completely humiliating for someone else. Making it public will only worsen the situation, and might lead to the need for HR intervention.
Liquid Productivity
Let them drink coffee! An estimated 80 percent to 90 percent of adults drink caffeine throughout the day. Missing the daily dose of caffeine can cause fatigue, grumpiness and headaches (source: Johns Hopkins University). Smart employers know it makes good business sense to provide coffee for your employees every morning.
Eliminate the Toxins
We’ve all worked with them: those mean girls and aggressive guys who never outgrew their teenage glory days, and pathetically try to turn the workplace into a system of cliques, gossip and social rankings. But this isn’t high school—it’s a job for adults—and nothing destroys morale like having to work in a hostile environment. One divisive element can drag down an entire team.
As the manager, it is up to you to make it clear that social bullying and ostracizing are not a part of any successful workplace. Find out who the toxic people are, and shut them down immediately with a private meeting in your office about their unkind behavior. If you simply can’t bring them over to the bright side, involve HR until they either comply or leave.
Everybody Loves a Free Lunch
Whether you randomly select employees to take out to lunch or buy the whole workforce lunch every Friday, for example, feeding your people can be a wonderful way to make them feel appreciated.
Have Reasonable Work Expectations
You can’t get something for nothing, but a lot of employers will try anyway. Give your employees the time and resources they need to do their jobs without constantly pushing them for more. Failing to meet expectations can be highly frustrating and de-motivating, causing some people to completely give up.
Lead by Example
If you want a cheerful workforce, walk around with a smile on your face. If you want to solve a problem, don’t complain – offer a solution. In short: If you want your employees to work harder for you, set the tone with your own positive work ethic. They’ll respect you for it, and people work harder for those they respect.
Most importantly, remember that happy workers are productive workers. Keep your workforce motivated, working hard and moving forward by using these simple steps to boost employee morale.
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Category: Business
