How to Boost Employee Morale
The truth about small businesses is that they generally operate on a much smaller budget than larger competitors, meaning that employees have to take on multiple roles (rather than filling a set position) and they often receive less in the way of rewards and other considerations for a job well done. This can often provide for a rather demoralizing work environment. However, it is your job, as their employer, to keep morale high and ensure that their efforts on behalf of your business do not go unappreciated. If you find that your employees seem to be suffering from a perpetual case of “the Mondays”, here are a few ways to help them perk up and get the overall attitude of the office back on track.
1. Praise. Most people work for money. We all have bills to pay, after all, or we wouldn’t need jobs in the first place. That said, your employees can get a crappy, time-wasting job anywhere. The reason they work for you is that they get something extra out of it. They stay because they gain a sense of pride and accomplishment from their work (you hope). But if you want them to continue to feel that way, you need to let them know that you appreciate the job they do. So make a point of publicly praising employees who exceed expectations and deliver during crunch time. This will ensure that productivity and job satisfaction both remain high.
2. Incentives. You may not have the money to give raises and bonuses every year, but you can certainly find ways to offer incentives to your employees. If, for example, you exceed sales expectations during the fiscal year, don’t just tell your workers they did a good job. Show them that your success is their success by offering cash bonuses; or if you didn’t earn that much, at least take them out for a nice meal to celebrate as a team. You may also choose to make the business “employee owned” if it gets large enough (making employees your sole stockholders) so that they have a vested interest in the success of your operation.
3. Unexpected bonuses. If you’re looking for a way to pep up the employees, think about giving one-time bonuses when they least expect it. You may want to offer them a couple of extra paid days off after completing a particularly large project. Or perhaps you can give them all gift certificates to a nice local restaurant when a big client renews their contract. The point is to make your employees feel like they’re part of the process and that they will share in any success with a tangible payoff for their hard work.
4. Team-building exercises. If the atmosphere of your office has gotten a little ho-hum and the employees are starting to wear on each other’s nerves, it may be time for a different setting. Close your doors for a day and take everyone out to a yoga retreat, the bowling alley, or a nearby park for a friendly game of softball. It will get people to loosen up and interact in a positive way, improving the general mood of the office.
5. Environmental factors. If your office is dark and gloomy, it could be putting a damper on the morale of your employees. You might be surprised by the difference you’ll see if you shell out the cash for a bright new paint job (typical office gray sucks the joy out of any room), full spectrum lighting (ditch the fluorescents for bulbs that emulate natural light), and some artistic adornments that will inspire your employees and quickly boost their morale.
Sarah Danielson writes for Air Purifiers where you can find various high end brands of air purifiers such as a Hepa air purifier and many more.
