If you’ve ever worked for an organisation where there is low morale, you’ll likely have felt the direct impact of how this can affect your work and motivation. Numerous studies have shown that companies with positive work cultures are much more productive than those with negative environments and low morale, and it’s not hard to see why. Whilst, following the pandemic, a growing number of businesses are choosing to work from home, there’s still an issue with workplace morale in general, which leaves employees feeling less satisfied with their current position.
The social bonds and connections between employees are fundamental to the morale and motivation levels in your business. People who feel a great sense of belonging and connection with their workplace, have good relationships with their colleagues and enjoy their work won’t just show up for their allocated hours. Instead, they’ll look forward to the opportunity to reach their full potential as and when they can.
Companies with strong workplace morale will, generally, see a greater return on investment and a stronger company overall. Your team is the key to success, so if you’re struggling with building morale in the workplace or feel as though your team are unconnected and disengaged, let’s take a look at some ways you can improve workplace morale.
Promote Work/Life Balance
Many employees who work from home struggle to get the right work/life balance. Sure, they benefit from the lack of commute and shorter workdays in general, but many find themselves working late into the night, simply just because they can.
When there are no boundaries between work and home, the work/life balance blurs and can actually be damaging in the long run, leading to tired, burned-out employees. This can cause high employee turnover, which is not only bad for your bottom line, but morale too. If a task needs to be done to meet a deadline, then later hours are a given, but try to promote a healthy work/life balance to give employees the chance to relax and enjoy their evenings.
Add Greenery
It might not seem like a big gesture, but studies have shown that going green isn’t just about saving the planet, it can have huge impacts on your team morale. Plants help to improve air quality and provide oxygen, add a splash of greenery to plain office space and help to reduce stress. Invest in some plants in communal areas, such as break rooms and lunch areas, or give each employee their own plant for their desk. If employees work from home, why not send them one for their home office space?
Invest In Your Employees
Your employees are your employees because they can bring something to your business that is valuable, so why not invest in them and help them expand on their knowledge and skillset? Remember, knowledge is power so the more your employees learn and skill up on, the more they can bring to their role. A study recently found that when employers invest in their employees, this showcase of employee engagement and interest in professional development is highly effective in boosting workplace morale.
Find out what your employees want to learn more about, whether it be the latest industry updates from top leaders at a conference or SEO courses for ecommerce brands. Take action and arrange opportunities for your workplace to attend courses and conferences, visit and host meetups and organise networking events and watch your employee morale rocket.
Hold Regular 1-1s
It’s a well-known fact that if there is tension between employees and managers, then the workplace will be a volatile environment, rife with tension. It’s so important to treat your employees as people and recognise them as individuals, rather than just numbers in the company and let them know just how they are contributing to the overall success of your business.
Studies have shown frequent performance meetings open the door in terms of building respectful relationships and encourage conversations to take place. If your managers hold regular performance meetings with employees, then this helps encourage training and development, builds trust and creates a sense of teamwork.
Conclusion
Employee morale is a vital part of your organisation’s strength and success. It is something that should be continually measured and treated as an important business statistic. Creating a healthy and positive work culture, which also boosts morale, is so much more than just an unlimited supply of hot drinks, it should be cultivated by bigger gestures such as policies, career growth and adaptive learning and development plan, as well as those smaller things such as regular work events and perks.
