While an employee event might be a great way to start boosting morale, it's not the way it will keep it up. Finding ways to help encourage your employees to think and act positively in the office-and increase productivity-all comes from morale.
Employees likely have access to an employee assistance program, and perhaps they have the advantage of other benefits, too. But it still helps, day to day, that employers provide the tools necessary for their employees to feel good about where they work.
According to Kathryn Hawkins with the International Association of Administrative Professionals , 'When employees don't feel motivated to participate in the workplace, productivity drops and absenteeism rises. Their lack of enthusiasm has a big impact on your bottom line.'
Good morale can prevent a high turnover rate
Low morale is a major player in an employee's decision to leave a business or company.
According to a MetLife study in 2011, employee loyalty was at a three-year low, citing stress and wages as key factors.
Regardless of the economy, losing valuable employees can put businesses in tough situations. Finding ways to retain employees and keep turnover low is important.
One effective way to find out how your employees feel is just by asking. An employee evaluation form might be a reasonable way to start. Employee evaluation forms can discuss things such as:
Employee job performance
Areas for improvement or education
Employee opinions and self-reflection
Take a look at building an employee evaluation form for your staff to provide a way to talk about how to better impact their morale.
Creating an enjoyable workplace
There isn't much that your employees need to feel comfortable in the office. And sometimes, just improving the space around them can impact morale in a positive way.
As mentioned above, cultivating a trusting relationship with your employees and supporting them are common tools in successful businesses. But when it comes to the workplace, what can you do to help encourage loyalty?
Maintaining a positive morale in the workplace isn't necessarily an easy task. But there are ways to help aid in the best work environment possible:
Build trustworthy relationships. According to the American Management Association , having honest, direct relationships with employees is an important value to many workers. A great step toward this is making sure your employees know their value to the workplace and have an understanding of their job performance. Consider building an employee evaluation form to aid in these meetings.
Stand behind your staff. Your goal should always be customer satisfaction, but employees need to feel supported, too. Just ask Michael Sparado, president of Help With a Smile in New York. When customers treat his staff poorly, he protects them, saying, 'In the end, chances are good that the employees are going to be worth more to you than the belligerent client.' Your support helps build a trustworthy team.
Support projects and events. Throwing a party won't solve all your problems, but by establishing teams such as an employee event committee, low-cost events can be arranged within your budget.
Extend profit-sharing opportunities. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, profit-sharing programs can help you generate-and keep-talented employees. It gives employers the key to offering another benefit to their employees while letting their workforce be involved with the company's financial structure. Small businesses can offer this, too. See some helpful tips from the Department of Labor .
Whether it's a potluck Friday or scheduling one-on-one evaluations, there are a number of options available to encourage positive morale.
Impacting morale through cross-training
Many of us have been there-feeling like every day is the same and that your skills can't take you any farther. With cross-training opportunities available to your staff, you can diversify your workplace and the expectations of your team.
Not only can cross-training open new doors for your employees, but it also gives you a chance to see what talents exist within your team that you might not have previously thought to capitalize on as you manage your business.
According to Andrew Jensen , a business efficiency consultant, cross-training greatly increases staff productivity. But it benefits employees the most with perks such as:
Job flexibility
Breaking the monotony
Demonstrating trust in your employees
Recognition of talents or other skills
Appreciation of their colleagues' responsibilities
Better understanding of the company's functions
Cross-training allows you, the employer, to reap benefits, too. Not only can if affect productivity, but can also aid in filling gaps when employees are out of the office.
How transparency affects team morale
As mentioned above, employees are often impacted by the honest, direct relationships and lines of communication with their employers.
Sharing information with your employees is always up to you as the employer. The U.S. Department of Labor uses transparency as a building block, and attests that 'increased openness' in the workplace can provide efficient standards and better communication among all.
If used wisely, transparency can:
Maintain flow of company information to its employees
Build open lines of communication for reporting workplace issues
Build trustworthy, honest relationships between superiors and staff
Help recognize and reward talented or skilled employees
Finding ways to boost the morale in your workplace isn't necessarily a one-sided venture. Using valuable research and online tools to get started will help you build a lasting, positive relationship with your staff.
This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm or a substitute for an attorney or law firm. The law is complex and changes often. For legal advice, please ask a lawyer .
