5 Ways to Boost Employee Morale

Fortunately, it’s not hard to keep morale high – you just need to recognise your employees with appreciation and rewards. Giving them positive reinforcement will help them to love their jobs and enjoy coming to work each day, which in turn will benefit your company.

One-on-One Time

By spending one-on-one time with each employee, you’ll get to know each person better. In the process, you’ll learn what obstacles he/she might be facing in the workplace, such as lack of privacy or confusion about communication channels. By helping him/her to overcome these obstacles, you’ll help them feel better about their job. Truly listening and responding to their concerns will also build morale simply by showing you care.

Taking an employee to lunch each week gives you a chance to show your appreciation and bond with employees. Alternate whom you treat to lunch so each employee gets a turn, which will build everyone’s morale.

Play-Days

Having gatherings outside of the traditional work setting will bring your team closer together. Hold an employee picnic at a park or treat everyone to brunch. Better yet, volunteer as a group. Spending the afternoon together planting trees or picking up rubbish will help you to bond as a team. This particularly holds true if employees don’t see tangible results from their daily work. Realizing a tangible goal together, like preparing garden beds for planting, will bring everyone satisfaction.

Upbeat Atmosphere

Your workplace doesn’t need to feel like a carnival, but it should feel like an enjoyable place to be. Playing upbeat music at a reasonable volume will help to create that upbeat atmosphere. If music with lyrics feels too distracting, choose jazz or classical songs without words. Have potluck lunches at your office once a week and play games on occasion to lift everyone’s mood. For instance, give everyone a trivia challenge sheet to fill out before lunchtime, then compare your results.

Recognition

Don’t let good work pass unnoticed. When an employee writes a stellar report or gains important new clients, mention it when addressing the group as a whole. Once a month, give a special gift to an exceptional employee, such as cinema tickets or a restaurant gift certificate. Say “thank you” whenever an employee does something well, no matter how small the task. Employees who feel appreciated will feel more confident and happy, which will boost their performance. The entire workplace will become more harmonious as each employee feels more capable and focused.

Fairness

Finally—but importantly—make sure you’re giving everyone an equal chance for promotions and other opportunities. If employees feel you’re practicing favouritism, they’ll soon be looking for other jobs. Conversely, giving everyone an equal chance, and offering strong support to build everyone’s skill set, will keep employee morale high.