There would be days (or even weeks!) when the morale of your employees and colleagues are just not doing well.
It may not necessarily have to do with the financial standing of the company or the workload. At times, it could just be the environment at the workplace or just a ‘lazy’ and dull day.
However, if the morale of the workplace is not being looked into right away, it could be dragged into weeks or months, and turn out for the worse. Fortunately, a series of small positive actions can also build up and make the work atmosphere more enjoyable and productive.
Here are some tips for improving employee morale at the workplace, things that you and your employees can practice on a regular basis in order to improve everyone’s day.
Easy ways to improve employee morale at the workplace
Start the day with a smile
The simplest and most useful tip for improving employee morale at the workplace is by starting your day at work with a smile. Remember that a warm smile is the universal language of kindness. So, before walking into the office, take a moment to forget all problems and worries that are not work related and try to present a positive attitude to your employees and colleagues.
Greet everyone in the office a “Good Morning” and try to say “Hi” to everyone. When it is possible, allow little small talk and ask how their weekend was or if you happen to remember that about someone’s event the day before, ask them how it went.
The person you smiled at maybe having a bad morning or the night before but your smile and greeting could actually make their day!
“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”
– Mother Teresa
Ask for opinion and feedback
Nothing makes someone feel more respected and appreciated than having their opinion genuinely valued. The opinion does not have to be work-related; it could be where to go for lunch or giving ideas for the next company event. It is quite a great feeling to have when the idea is yours and have a sense of pride.
It goes the same with giving feedback to your employees. When you give feedback about a task or a project, it does not mean that they are doing a poor job at it. It only means that management believes in the employee and wants them to get better and improve.
“We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.”
– Bill Gates
Avoid gossiping
Another useful tip for improving employee morale at the workplace is by avoiding gossiping at work. We have never stressed on how office gossiping should always be avoided or even better, office gossiping should be discouraged at all times.
Gossiping is a form of bullying, whether it comes from conflicting groups in the office or multiple people talking about an individual colleague. Move quickly to another topic when someone approach you and started gossiping.
“Gossip is essentially storytelling: storytelling about people whom we know.”
– Mona Simpson
Solve confrontation
There will be times at the workplace where a project creates tension among colleagues because of unsettled agreement or some unresolved issues. When things get edgy, which they will be at times, the situation is rarely served by adding temper, so do your best to stay calm.
Getting angry or avoiding it does not make it better. Confrontation is healthy as it clears the air quickly.
“Confrontation is something that I accept as part of the project though not its purpose.”
– Andy Goldsworthy
Show appreciation to colleagues and peers
Another useful tip for improving employee morale at the workplace is by showing appreciation to your colleagues and employees. Say something nice or positive about a task someone has performed well or for something you are personally grateful. By letting them know, they will feel good and you will feel good as well!
Individuals experience higher morale when employers appreciate them as people first and employees second. Respond as you would to a friend, with kindness and consideration.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
– John F. Kennedy
Build trust
Trust is everything in a relationship, regardless if it is romantic, friendly or business-oriented. It is essential to build and cultivate trusting workplace relationships for success and survival. It may be hard at times to put your trust in someone you just hired but by allow people to make decisions, involve them in discussions, and trust in their opinions and input allows your company to grow faster.
We are not talking about just letting employees go on their own but check in on them once in a while or even better, have a weekly production meeting, which allow all your employees to update everyone on their current project and who is in-charged of which task. This helps the company in a way that there are no miscommunication on projects that are happening concurrently.
“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”
– Stephen Covey
Excel at projects and tasks
This one is pretty obvious; everyone works hard but you would have to make sure you are doing your job well and efficiently. Working hard is one thing, working smart is another issue. Put in a hundred percent when you are at work and show dedication in the work that you are doing.
In order to excel, you must be completely dedicated and also be prepared to work hard and be willing to accept constructive criticism.
“I had to give everything I had to one event if I wanted to excel.”
– Chris LeDoux
Workplace comfort
Another tip for improving employee morale at the workplace is the comfort of your workplace. If you or your employees are not comfortable at work due to the environment, it can be quite hard to focus on the task or project at hand.
Make small adjustments to your lighting scheme and bring in fun desk lamps if you are not able to remove the overhead fluorescent glare, or draw the blinds to allow for natural light if you have windows. Keep the office temperature at a comfortable level, and make sure all the machines or office equipment needed to do the job is available or usable.
Read our post on office design for some great ideas!
“People who work in an environment where doing their best is recognised have a better chance of feeling good about their work.”
– Marilyn Suttle
Promote careers, not jobs
The last tip in our book for improving employee morale at the workplace is by promoting careers and not jobs. Some of you may wonder what the difference is. A job is something you would do in the short term to earn money. However, a career is a long term pursuit of an ambition. Thus, your employees’ career is something you would want to focus on since it is long term goal.
When your employees realise that you are interested in their future ambition and goals, they will eventually be loyal to you and give everything they have in trying to achieve it. Do take note that they might even stay with you for the long run!
“We go through our careers and things happen to us. Those experiences made me what I am.”
– Thomas Keller
In Summary
In general, all these tips listed above have a common theme, which it is all about being a caring and generous manager or employee. These may be small steps but it definitely can go far. With these useful tips, we hope you are able to improve your employee morale at the workplace.
Good luck with these tips!
