Employee morale is one of the most integral aspects of a successful business. Employees who are happier are more productive and will stick around longer. Besides, who wants to spend their time day in and out in a gloomy and depressing workplace? Not even an owner wants to do that. So, with that in mind, implementing workplace practices that contribute to a happier environment are vital for the sanity of yourself, as well as the sanity of your employees. Take a look at the list below for some of our suggestions.
One of the first steps you need to take to improve employee morale is creating an engagement committee and filling it with employees. Make sure these employees aren’t in managerial positions. That way even employees who don’t call the shots on a normal workday have a way of expressing themselves and divulging their ideas. You might be surprised by the quality of the ideas they come up with.
Well, so long as it doesn't get too rowdy. But your employees occasionally need a healthy way to blow off steam and stress. Some ideas include a tug-of-war competition, a company-funded board game night, or even a mini golf tournament. The possibilities are endless hear even if you avoid the sort of competitions where someone could get hurt (tackle football, wrestling, or anything with an abundance of alcohol). Your engagement committee should have plenty of fun suggestions as well.
There’s a line to walk with this one, because you don’t want to come off sounding like someone’s doctor. But there are ways of promoting healthy diets in your employees without giving lectures on calorie counting. Employees love free food, so consider bringing in healthy treats like fruit trays, salads, or even burritos—so long as they’re filled with nutritious vegetables and beans. You can also provide cooking books full of nutritious recipes. Better yet, engage your employees by compiling a company cookbook which employees are encouraged to submit healthy recipes to.
If your workplace is an office environment, chances are that your employees spend long hours sitting in office chairs. Encourage more physical activity during the workday by suggesting mobile meetings. These are just what they sound like: meetings you have while strolling through hallways or outside the building. Unless you need a television or projector for that meeting, talking and walking should be just as effective and can stimulate blood flow to the brain, allowing you and your employees to be sharper and more creative. An alternative could be having a week where employees are encouraged to take the stairs. Station some employees on the landings for the upper floors, where they can hand out water or morning refreshments.
The invention of the television was to your company’s benefit, believe it or not. If you have the cash on hand, purchase a few flatscreen TVs—even cheap ones can look good these days—and hang them on the walls of breakrooms, lobbies, or even busy hallways. Hook up these TVs so that they display a slideshow of department goals for the coming month, as well as any results and statistics related to the previous month’s goals. Include motivation quotes that rotate and change. This will improve quality of work across your company and foster the feeling that everyone is working together as a team towards common objectives.
Helping others improves one’s sense of self-worth and purpose. Extend this to your employees by organizing company-wide volunteering events at places like food kitchens, shelters for the homeless or victims of domestic violence, or a local charity drive. Not only will doing so help your employees feel good about themselves, but it will also increase awareness of the positive impacts your business has on your community. Employees want to work for employers who care, so show that you care.
Signs of appreciation can go a long way towards boosting morale. During stressful ties of the year—such as holidays if you’re a retailer or tax season if your company specializes in finance—hand out notes expressing thanks for all the hard works. Small gifts like candy or inexpensive gift cards can lead to even greater morale boosts. For particularly exceptional employees, recognize them on social media with a company shout-out. Do the same for birthdays, anniversaries, or even retirements.
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