It often seems like nothing can stand in your team’s way when employee morale is high. Your employees churn out top-quality work, have a positive outlook, and are engaged and productive. On the other hand, trying to motivate a team with low morale is arduous, and work outputs and outcomes will suffer as a result. Gallup reports that 51% of workers are disengaged in the workplace, while 13% are actively disengaged. Therefore, taking practical steps to raise your team members’ spirits is essential. Below are some practical ways to boost employee morale.
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Why Should You Boost Employee Morale at Your Small Business?
Boosting employee morale at your small business will give your business a competitive edge. This happens with increased productivity and a high employee retention rate. Employees that have been around knowing more about your products and services than a new person walking in the door.
1. Appreciate Your Employees To Boost Employee Morale
Many studies indicate that high-performing teams are more supportive and complementary than their low-supporting counterparts. Therefore, leaders who recognize their workforce’s strengths and contributions are likelier to see more productive, creative, and engaged employees.
Consequently, make employee appreciation a mainstay of your company’s culture. You can implement an informal or formal employee recognition program to give everyone the chance to recognize others’ contributions.
Emails thanking employees for good work are an excellent informal way to appreciate your staff and raise their morale. Also, you can give tangible rewards like coins from Challenge Coins Ltd to employees as a token of your gratitude.
2. Encourage Employee Development
Satisfaction is highly likely to drop when workers don’t see many opportunities for professional development. Therefore, encourage your staff to take on new responsibilities and allow them to pursue development courses and passion projects.
You can offer professional courses for employees to sharpen their current skills or learn new knowledge that can prepare them for more advanced positions. Also, show your workers a clear path for advancement within the company.
This way, they will know that they can have fulfilling careers in your organization and are likelier to stick around for the long term.
3. Embody Your Culture and Values
Workers who believe in your values and appreciate your culture will undoubtedly be happy to be a part of your enterprise. Therefore, look for ways to align your culture with your employees’ needs and expectations to boost employee morale.
Leaders and managers play a vital role here since many employees look to them to personify the company’s culture. As such, ensure that you and your managers live your values daily and engage with staff on vital aspects of company culture.
For instance, making a safe and welcoming environment a key aspect of your company culture is prudent. Then, ensure that all managers are approachable enough for employees to feel comfortable to be themselves and speak freely.
4. Organize Team-building Activities To Boost Employee Morale
Employees’ attitudes towards their team members are closely linked to morale. Therefore, hosting team-building activities to bring your staff closer can work wonders for morale. You can host happy hours and team lunches if your team works in an office space.
Team-building activities for remote teams are slightly more challenging, but virtual happy hours and one-on-one video chats should suffice. Company retreats are also great for getting your employees together and encouraging bonding. B
Birthdays, anniversaries, and other important milestone celebrations are other effective team-building activities, so keep this in mind.
Your Turn
What would boost your morale in a small business? What other ideas do you have to boost employee morale today? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.
