By 20 Ways to Increase Morale in the Workplace and Feel More Productive
May 10, 2021
Morale in the workplace is essential for success and maintaining a positive environment. Without it, employees are disconnected and tend to be negative, lacking focus and determination. There are ways to change this and boost morale throughout the workplace.
Promoting positivity in this way is fun and you should see it that way. Don’t think of it as adding more work for yourself, because when everyone is happy, more gets done. Taking the time to increase positivity will make a huge difference that you will notice right away.
How to increase morale in the workplace
With workplace morale, employees will enjoy coming to work and spread positivity. It will help them come up with good ideas and collaborate effectively. These tips will help everyone and improve your work environment forever.
1. Ask everyone for ideas or input
When you ask for their opinion, they will feel valued and confident. Decisions and ideas should not all come from one person, so increase positivity in the workplace by including everyone in the process. When using an employee’s idea, be sure to give him credit as well.
2. Have short meetings frequently to touch base
Every other day or even every day, have short meetings to talk with staff. This session allows them to blow off steam, discuss problems, or suggest changes on a regular basis.
If possible, keep meetings small with only a few people in each session. Keeping the meeting small allows for connection and communication on a deeper level.
Find out how employees feel about their work, their coworkers, and even their supervisor. Ask them if they face any challenges and if there is anything you can do to help. These questions will lead to greater happiness and increased confidence in the workplace.
These meetings are also an opportunity to provide feedback, coaching, and performance training. This time spent talking about the workplace will build trust and help develop better relationships.
3. Do what no one else wants to do
If there is a job that no one else wants to do, then do it yourself. Determine what’s the biggest problem for employees, and then get it off your plate. Doing this relieves stress and shows everyone that you, too, are willing to work hard.
4. Be open and honest
When things change, be honest about why. Open up and explain things, and it will prevent employees from getting angry or frustrated. Hiding problems or avoiding arguments will only make the situation worse.
If you are open and honest, the staff will appreciate and respect you more. They will see that you are not trying to hide anything and that their well-being is not being sacrificed.
Some of the things you should always discuss and be honest about include:
- changes within the company
- updated protocols
- customer or customer feedback
- new things that are in process
- problems within the company
- achievements
5. Do something special
When all work days are the same, morale can drop. Break the monotony of the work week by planning something special for everyone.
You might consider scheduling back, neck, or shoulder massages to help relieve tension and promote relaxation. Another idea is to plan a one-hour dance class a week or hire a fitness instructor to lead an exercise class. You can also ask the staff for ideas to ensure they enjoy any special event you plan.
6. Make the purpose of each job clear, so everyone feels valued
When people don’t know the purpose of their work, they won’t do their best. Individual confidence in the workplace will drop as no one knows the difference they are making. By making your purpose clear, they will feel valued and take pride in their work.
Tell employees why their work is important and help them understand that they are needed. When they see that they are critical to achieving business goals, you will notice a significant boost in their attitude.
7. Give recognition
While employees are paid for their jobs, they need more recognition than a weekly paycheck. Acknowledge effort and hard work, and be honest when you do. If staff know that their hard work is recognized, they will strive to be even better than they already are.
When employees receive regular recognition for a job well done, there will be a host of benefits. You will notice increased productivity, levels of engagement, company loyalty, and customer satisfaction. Plus, of course, recognition will build morale quickly as employees feel a sense of accomplishment.
8. Keep things calm and organized
If the workplace is hectic and disorganized, it can cause unnecessary stress. Keep things as organized as possible and promote a calm environment. When you do this, stress levels will drop, employees will maintain a healthier work-life balance, and everything will flow better.
9. Teach employees new things and promote professional development
Most people want to learn, develop, and strengthen their skills. Spend time teaching staff to do new things. This could include teaching anything from running a new program to how to do some of your work.
Consider investing in more development opportunities. Allow employees to attend conferences, take classes, and whatever else allows them to grow professionally.
When employees understand how to do things or why they are done that way, it can help boost morale. Teaching them can also increase loyalty because offering these opportunities lets your staff know that you believe in them.
10. Plan fun things to do outside of work hours.
While employees likely don’t want to spend all of their time together, they still need to connect on a personal level. Plan something you know most staff will enjoy based on what you know about them. By planning something that you enjoy, you won’t be afraid to attend and it will be a good memory afterward.
However, don’t plan these events too often, because we all have lives outside of work. Every two months is enough to promote communication, teamworkand positive connections.
11. Discuss why you are working.
When the reason is clear, employees will want to be better. They will feel more motivated and engaged, which will help boost morale.
12. Plan team building activities during the workday
Team building games are useful for a couple of reasons. These games promote collaboration, motivation, and foster communication and problem-solving skills. The activities also encourage creativity and productivity.
13. Be flexible and allow others to be too
Times are changing and desired work programs are too. When you can, let employees choose their work hours. As long as they get the job done right, it shouldn’t matter when they get it done.
Rather than enforcing a strict early morning start time, let employees choose the time. In this way, they arrive rested and ready to work. If you can’t allow this kind of flexibility all the time, consider implementing it about once a week.
Doing this also gives them plenty of time for appointments, errands, or familiar things to deal with. Handling those things before work means they won’t be distracted, which promotes productivity and morale in the workplace.
14. Encourage breaks
When employees take breaks during the day, they will come back feeling refreshed. Some employees may insist that they don’t need to take a break, but encourage them to do so anyway.
15. make people laugh
If you can make everyone laugh at work, morale will soar. Laughing will improve your mood and help form positive connections between employees. A fun way to do this is by presenting fun prizes that are customary to the recipients.
16. Provide food
Feeding people is a sure way to lift spirits and promote positive attitudes. When people don’t have to spend their money on lunch, they will feel a little happier and more cheerful. In addition, they will appreciate the kind gesture and will be grateful for working in such a caring environment.
17. Practice gratitude
Show everyone how much you appreciate them and tell them too. When they know that you are grateful for what they do, they will want to do it even better. Additionally, it will boost morale by creating a safe and comfortable space for employees.
18. Develop a personal connection
Learn personal things about everyone and be sure to acknowledge life events. When they know that you care for and support them, they will feel better and more understood at work.
19. Redecorate
We all need a change from time to time, and this includes when they are at work. Redecorating the workplace is exciting and gives everyone a fresh perspective. Add plants too, because studies show They raise morale in the office.
20. Allow others to work on your ideas
When people are allowed to work on their unique ideas, they become more creative and inspired. As long as they do their regular work, let them explore a bit. They might even have a great idea for the company if they are allowed to do this.
Final thoughts on ways to boost morale in the workplace
Low morale in the workplace can cause tension, stress, decreased productivity, and many other problems. You can also make the turnover rate high. If you find that your work environment lacks this area, use these tips to increase it.
It benefits the entire company and all employees when morale is high. Implementing some of these ideas will make a big difference.
