Why is it important to improve workplace morale?
Today’s business leaders aren’t likely to argue that positive workplace cultures are more productive. Employees can manage high-pressure work atmospheres, but they can only do so for so long before experiencing stress and burnout. With that comes a reversal in productivity over time, damaging the bottom line and morale in the process.
In 2017, Forbes shared that newer generations of business leaders have identified that work-life balance, a focus on health and safety, and positive employee engagement are key factors to a company’s overall success.
Further, employers have come to understand that employee attitudes directly reflect the morale of the company. Whether employees work in customer service, sales, or product development, they are more likely to approach their job with a genuinely upbeat attitude with carefully considered workplace morale boosters in place.
In the past, employers thought the solution to getting the best out of employees was directly related to salary. However, over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that workers want a more positive atmosphere that is safe, comfortable, and inspires collaboration, creativity, quality, and productivity.
If employees feel pressure and stress on the job while worrying about picking up their children from after-school activities, you may expect them to call in sick frequently until they decide to look for an employer who understands modern employees’ needs. Keep in mind that employee turnover is expensive, so once you find valuable employees, it is vital to find ways to keep them on board for the long-term.
Five ways to increase employee happiness and workplace morale
Fortunately, there are many ways to enhance employee happiness and productivity. Explore the following five methods business leaders are using for boosting workplace morale.
1. Focus on good communication
Human interaction is the cornerstone of success in the modern workplace filled with unique individuals striving to achieve common goals. Among workplace morale ideas, communication is essential for reasons like the following:
- Sharing basic information
- Participating in team and project collaboration
- Mediating and mitigating conflict
- Satisfying customer needs
- Providing employee engagement for a stronger workplace culture
2. Share company goals and vision with employees
One workplace morale booster that benefits everyone is sharing your business’s goals and values with your employees. When everyone understands your company’s vision, and how important their role is in fulfilling it, employees tend to feel greater camaraderie and commitment to your organization.
Let employees know as early as possible about your business’s overriding mission and how you would like for them to help you achieve it on a daily basis and for the long-term.
3. Provide meaningful and regular feedback
The days of the one-shot annual performance review are on the wane in favor of frequent performance feedback conversations, notes HR Examiner. Human resource industry leaders continue searching for the most meaningful approach to providing timely feedback that drives positive and effective employee improvement for increased confidence and productivity. Many professionals recommend creating and fostering an ongoing dialog that strives to align performance expectations and recognizing progress between the manager and each employee.
4. Show employees that you care about their well-being
Employees often juggle a home life that is just as busy and chaotic as their time at work. It is important to show them you recognize and care about the challenges of balancing work and life responsibilities. Employers are increasingly focusing on ways to create a calm work environment, intended to keep stress to a minimum. Consider offering health-conscious benefits such as a vending machine filled with healthy snack options and subsidized gym memberships.
5. Extend opportunities for learning and advancement
Employees rarely want to stagnate in the same position for the life of their employment. Without identifying and extending benefits to talented employees, you risk losing them to a competitor. Invest in employee growth through training and performance-based promotions within the company for peak engagement. Offer regular training courses for everything from software programs to leadership skills. You may also set aside a budget that offers employees reimbursement for pursuing learning opportunities that benefit your organization.
Are you ready to improve workplace morale?
Now that you know a little more about how to improve workplace morale, we can help ensure that every employee stays up to date on your efforts. Employees performing their duties in the warehouse, hospital, factory, or hotel are at risk of missing messages without a digital communication system. Our digital signage can help keep your employees in-the-know and happy about their spot in your organization.
Check in with us to learn more about how you can schedule a demo.