How often does your staff shuffle into work looking like extras from the set of The Walking Dead? If morale is a little low around the office, it might feel like you’re staffing mindless zombies.
The good news is that it’s not difficult to achieve high morale in the workplace. You only need a bit of ingenuity, patience, and initiative. Keep reading to find our tips for boosting morale.
1. Fulfil Your Duties as a Manager
As a manager, you have duties you need to uphold to keep your staff engaged and trusting of your leadership. One of the most important things you can do is lead by example and stay organized.
You should have some records management system in place. Keep track of every checkstub, transaction, and document.
Your staff won’t respect or trust your leadership if you’re ambivalent or uncertain in your duties. Make sure you know how to do your job and how to do it well.
2. Promote a Work-Life Balance
Job stress is a major source of stress for American adults. An unrealistic workload, lack of job security, and the inability to balance work and personal life are to blame. Employees working late nights to coming in early to get a headstart on work burn out and learn to resent their job.
Reduce stress amongst your staff by running a healthy and well-balanced company. Encourage your team to take time off and enjoy their breaks away from their desk.
Regularly review the workloads you have placed upon your staff. Don’t be afraid to ask your employees how they’re handling their current workload. Regular communication is key to knowing where your team stands.
Lead by example and enjoy a sustainable and healthy work-life balance, too. Leave the office at the end of the workday and keep your business e-mail turned off when you’re at home.
Go one step further by providing your employees with an Employee Assistance Program. EAPs can help your staff members resolve problems that are affecting their performance.
3. Offer Employee Incentives
If you notice employee morale is low, offering incentives can help.
If your company culture revolves around coffee, try bringing in a barista once a week or month for a few hours. Even if you don’t provide the drinks for free, an in-office pop-up coffee shop shows your team you’re thankful for their work.
Provide a work-from-home once a week or once a month option for staff who do a great job of hitting their goals.
During periods of high-stress, bring in shelter puppies to help employees relax. The animals will break up the monotony of the workday and decrease cortisol levels.
There is no limit to what incentives you can provide your staff.
Boosting Morale and Overcoming Negativity
Boosting morale in the workplace doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel to boost the workplace culture in your establishment. A few perks here and there can go a long, long way.
Keep reading our articles for more tips on running a successful business.
