How to Build Up Employee Morale
Every company should strive to have high employee morale. Employees who are happy at their job tend to work harder and be more productive. If a company is plagued with low morale, customer service, productivity and the general mood of the employees will suffer. Fortunately, there are ways to build the morale of employees in any company using a few simple methods.
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Instructions
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Increase and improve communication. Communication is a very important tool that can be used to build up employee morale. Be as transparent as possible with the day-to-day operations of the company, within reason. Let employees know how their work is affecting the company, positively or negatively. Also encourage communication from the employees by holding regular meetings and having an "open door" policy where employees can air their grievances and offer suggestions.
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Set realistic goals for employees. When employees are able to accomplish measurable tasks that they are realistically able to attain, they will have a sense of accomplishment and purpose within your company.
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Hold employees accountable. Let employees know exactly what is expected of them and follow up to ensure that they are indeed accomplishing the goals set for them. There must be consequences if employees fail to execute their jobs properly. It is very frustrating for one employee to work very hard to complete a task and observe a colleague slack off and not be held accountable. The hard-working employee's morale will go down, as well as her motivation and productivity.
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Provide regular feedback for employees individually. Check in on each employee individually at regular intervals to give updates on their job performances. This interaction is great for morale because it gives you and the employee a chance to go over areas for improvement, and for the employee to be commended for doing a good job. The employee will also have a chance to give you feedback on issues that may be affecting his job performance. Letting employees know where they stand at all times is an excellent morale booster.
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Recognize excellence. Hold contests centered around different aspects of the employee's job description and offer rewards to the most accomplished or improved employees every month. An example would be bonuses based on the number of sales attained by employees every month; this will not only increase productivity but also motivate your employees to become better at their jobs.
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Involve employees in the decision-making process. Make your employees feel like they are actually a part of the company by involving them in decisions that affect their jobs or benefits. An example would be to have a vote when deciding on the specifics of the company health plan. The employees may not get everything that they want but being part of the process is what is important.
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Respect your employee's personal life. Do not make employees work late on a regular basis. Most employees will understand that sometimes they may be needed to work extra hours, but if it becomes a regular occurrence you will build resentment. Respecting your employee's personal life also means not calling them outside of work hours for business- related matters unless it is absolutely necessary or an accepted part of their job description.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure that your staff has all of the tools they need to accomplish tasks.
Be polite and friendly with your employees. A simple hello and smile could avoid a lot of resentment toward you, and by extension, your company.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Three office workers image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
