Boost Employee Morale with Recognition and Growth

Employee Morale
By Zoaib Husein PMP® SAP®
www.linkedin.com/in/ZoaibH

Your employees are increasingly apathetic about their work. They're taking more breaks,
procrastinating on key tasks, and complaining about even the smallest of requests. If this
sounds like your team, you might have a morale problem in your office.
"Low morale ... spoils everything, from the way customer service handles calls to the way
project managers prioritize things," said Ben Pouladian, president of Deco Lighting and a
member of YPO (Young Presidents' Organization). "When morale is low, mistakes get made,
blaming and accusations begin and feelings get hurt. If we can't find joy in the workday, then
why bother?"
To prevent situations like these, it's important for leaders to focus on keeping their teams
motivated and confident.
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9324-improve-employee-morale.html#sthash.T45BEEHj.dpuf
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BOOST THE
MORALE OF YOUR EMPLOYEES?

Employee morale is an extremely significant aspect of your business, as it can either make or
break your organization.
It is has been observed that employees with a higher and more positive morale, have a
better attitude towards their job, maintain higher levels of customer service, and also turn
out to be much more productive in their workplace. At the same time, employees with a bad
morale reduce the efficiency and productivity of your business.
Therefore, it is absolutely important to boost employee morale and ensure that none of them
is left disgruntled
https://www.cleverism.com/how-to-boost-employee-morale-corporate-events/

The cost of the morale problem is huge, $300 billion in lost productivity every year,
according to Gallup, not to mention the impact it has on retention, customer relations,
innovation, and internal conflict.
When engaged employees go the extra mile, they are 28% more productive, one of the many
reasons employee engagement training programs, such as our program, "Supercharging
Engagement," are so crucial.
Studies show people can go from active disengagement to full engagement when you change
how they think about their work.
http://www.worktolive.info/blog/7-surprising-ways-to-boost-employee-morale-and-engagement

Be transparent, and keep staff in the loop.
When employees don't know what is going on in the company, productivity can give way to
redundant or otherwise unnecessary efforts on the part of the staff. Worse yet, when
employees are given only part of the story, they are left to fill in the blanks with gossip,
rumors and worry.
This happened to the employees of a client of leadership coach Darcy Eikenberg. The
company was successful in a growing industry, but employees were still concerned with
layoffs.
The executive wasn't looking at the situation from the staff's viewpoint. The staff didn't know
as much as she did.
http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/10_inexpensive_
ways_to_boost_employee_morale_43589.aspx

Take time to creatively celebrate
accomplishments.
It's natural to focus on what's ahead rather than reflect on how much has been achieved.
Taking time to reflect, though, helps employees appreciate how much they have done.
All departments at Acuity, a financial-services company based in Sheboygan, Wis., are asked
each year to recognize their own work by providing a list of significant accomplishments of
their team.
The lists are reviewed by Acuity officers, who select the 100 most outstanding achievements
for inclusion in a "Top 100 Accomplishments" list. The latest list was designed as a book,
Acuity World Records, with the help of Guinness World Records, and given to all 831
employees.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/220000

Grant time off to employees to pursue
projects they are passionate about.
Personal projects can provide an energizing break from regular responsibilities and can
serve as a source of innovation for a company.
Atlassian, a developer of collaboration software based in Sydney, encourages creativity
during its "FedEx Day." During this event, all 62 employees can work on anything that excites
them -- as long as it is somewhat related to Atlassian products or processes, can be
completed in the allotted time, and is fun.
Employees have from 2 p.m. on a Thursday until 4 p.m. Friday, giving them roughly 24 hours
to deliver a project (thus the name, FedEx Day). Then at a presentation, participants show off
the results of their projects. From these ideas, Atlassian has adopted more than a dozen
projects, ranging from product upgrades to process improvements.

Offer time away from the office to do some
good.
Another way to build employee morale and camaraderie is through community service.
Studer Group, a Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based management consulting firm, gives its 114
employees four paid hours a month to volunteer for a charitable initiative or organization
of their choice. Departments also take on volunteer projects as a group.

Ask for feedback.
A posture of openness gives employees permission to contribute to positive change.
Google, for example, uses a survey called Googleist to elicit feedback from employees on a
wide swath of issues. It then recruits volunteer groups to tackle issues and solve the
company's biggest problems. At Where I Work, we use a tool called TinyPulse. Brainstorm
ways to incorporate regular feedback into the life of your office.
http://www.inc.com/sujan-patel/20-creative-ways-to-boost-employee-morale.html

Give employees responsibility.
All your employees can point out inefficiencies in your organization, but not all feel
empowered to do so.
Paul Vragel of ‘4aBetterBusiness’ recommends listening to employees to learn what gets "in
the way of the good job they want to do" and then involving them in the process to eliminate
these barriers. Using this approach, he helped a midmarket manufacturing company
implement almost 100 ideas that increased earnings by 30 percent within a few months.
When Terry Henley of Employers Resource Association needed to take over a production
department of 100-plus employees on a six-month cleanup assignment, he involved the
employees in improving their respective departments. Together, they reduced their error
rate by 50 percent, increased their production by 25 percent, and eliminated huge
previously caused them to work overtime.

Make sure top management is available,
listening and engaging.
In the early days of Hewlett-Packard, "the HP Way" included the practice of "management by
walking around," says Bob Kalsey, whose father started working at HP in the 1950s.
Dave and Bill spent time on the shop floor talking with individual employees, asking
questions, and soliciting ideas.
"People there felt their work and opinions were valued, and they took pride in that," says
Kalsey. "We all want to feel genuinely a part of something larger than ourselves, and when we
do, we are loyal and eager to go the extra mile. Unlike many C-level people who insulate
themselves from low-level workers, Dave and Bill weren't absent from their employees' daily
lives."

Develop strong and transparent promotion
tracks.
40% of millennials expect promotions every one to two years.
To maintain employee morale among a new generation of employees, you need to
emphasize the viability of your promotional tracks. Be clear about opportunities to grow, not just
during recruitment but on a regular basis

Increase vacation days.
Just as employees are hesitant to step away from their desks for lunch, they often shy away
from vacation time despite its potential to boost morale.
Some companies try to break the mold by offering unlimited vacation days, but that's not
necessarily a solution either.
As writer Lotte Bailyn argued, "Unlimited vacation time may sound wonderful in theory, but
in reality, less is more. Too much choice is restrictive and confusing." Instead, increase
vacation days and add a bonus for employees who truly take a time-out -- no work email,
calls, no laptop on the beach

Treat them as people
“The fastest way to kill morale is to treat an employee like a resource similar to a stamp
press or die cutter,” said Curtis Stuehrenberg of Accelrys.
Instead, small gestures like learning your employees’ names, and sending flowers when they
are sick can go a long way.
http://youearnedit.com/blog/10-effective-techniques-to-boost-employee-morale-without-
increasing-salaries/

Invest in their personal growth
As someone who works with business coaches, Taparia knows firsthand the value a great
mentor can have for an employee.
While it's common for C-suite executives to have access to coaching, offering it to all
employees can show them that you're committed to their career development.
"Leadership coaches take the time to provide personalized action plans for each individual to
help them define their goals, identify what steps they need to take to achieve their goals, and
empower them with the resources and support needed to stay on course to finish what they
started," said Taparia, whose company aggregates top business coaches from around the
world. "[It's] an effective way to establish a deeper relationship with your staff based on
trust and respect."
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9324-improve-employee-
morale.html#sthash.D7f6axyZ.dpuf

Recognize personal milestones and losses.
Individuals experience higher morale when employers appreciate them as people first and
employees second.
You can still recognize personal milestones and losses while respecting privacy -- even a
simple note from you would do. Respond as you would to a friend, with kindness and
consideration.
Seeing as how 78% employees spend more time with co-workers than they do with family, a
supportive community will go along way to fostering happiness

Give substantial bonuses.
A 2013 Harvard Business School study found that giving clear, unconditional, and
unexpected financial gifts to employees leads to higher productivity.
As the researchers state, "Gifts are roughly as efficient as hiring more workers." Imagine the
positive impact you would have giving a big bonus to a single mother supporting a family or a
young professional paying off student loans?
Unconditional gifts can revolutionize your employee morale

Create a lenient inclement weather policy.
When a blizzard, flood, or hurricane rolls into town, be especially cognizant of employee
safety, and when necessary, let workers stay home.
As an alternative to an awful and extended commute, chances are employees will be more
productive during a snow day at home than they would in the office.
Also note that a lenient inclement weather policy is particularly important to employees with
young family, as childcare options are rarely available when schools close.

Give small perks with big personal impact.
In addition to providing training, businesses can reward staffers with perks that make a
difference in their employees' lives.
One perk that I cherish—and which costs my employer nothing—is the luxury of working
from home once a week. The hour-and-a-half I save by not riding the bus gives me the
take a breather between my work and family responsibilities. Having flexible hours can make
a world of difference to working parents.
When it comes to rewarding a job well done, many executives revert to giving their employees
small cash bonuses. Instead, Ruben Estrada of Estrada Strategies recommends treating
to an experience.
"Instead of giving your production supervisor a $50 bonus, offer to buy dinner for him and his
wife at a local fine restaurant," Estrada says. "When you give an employee money, his attitude
is grateful, but the feeling is, 'I earned it,' and thus the impact is short-lived. When you give
an employee an experience, you're giving them something they would call their mother to brag
about."
http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/10_inexpensive_ways_to_boost_employee_morale_43589.aspx

Offer training.
"One of the top reasons employees leave a company is the lack of development
opportunities, so providing your employees with professional effective training is sure to boost
morale," says Robert Bilotti of Novita.
This begins by partnering new employees with more-seasoned veterans, bringing in experts
for training sessions, and paying for employees to attend local trade conferences.
"Your best people continue to demand professional development opportunities that help them
grow, yet most companies take the short-sighted view of cutting those programs when
financials are tight," says leadership coach Darcy Eikenberg of Red Cape Revolution. Be wary
of taking away these benefits.
"Your stars will remember how they're being treated now and will walk to your
competitor as soon as the economy turns," Eikenberg warns.
http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/10_inexpensive_ways_to_boost_employee_morale_43589.aspx

Ease employees' stress 1
Your team works hard every day, so it's nice to show them that you appreciate their efforts by
helping to ease some of their stress.
You can do this easily and inexpensively with simple things like team huddles. Mat Ishbia,
president and CEO of United Shore, said this is an effective way to make people feel
comfortable and enjoy their office environment.
"Don't just gather everyone in a conference room like a typical meeting – huddle your team up
in a circle and motivate them" Ishbia said. "Deliver an inspirational message to pump up your
people and get them excited to finish the day successfully. It's a great energy boost and can
really boost morale and productivity."
"It's inspiring when company leadership can tell their team, 'What you're doing is really
important, but take a break and have some fun,'" Ishbia added.
Similarly, Aistrope said that Meeting Tomorrow makes it a priority to show the company's
appreciation for employees during very busy times.

Ease employees' stress 2
"We have an annual tradition in the peak of our busy season to turn two conference rooms into chair
massage stations for a day," Aistrope said. "At 10 minutes a massage, it's easy to step away when busy.
hectic days, we've also done a Starbucks run for the entire office.“
But Aistrope noted that a latte isn't going to cure deeper morale problems: "If there are big issues at
play — financial, staffing, leadership — it's important we're transparent about it instead of
the rug."
Ultimately, he said, improving morale begins with making employees feel listened to and respected.
"Each employee is different, but we all have similar needs in the workplace," Aistrope said. "We all want
to be heard, feel valued and be treated fairly and with respect. When that foundation is there, then we
can get into the fun stuff."

Introduce Wellness at Work
According to research by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, absenteeism is costing British companies more than £29
billion a year.
Promoting healthy living in the workplace is a win-win measure for both employer and employee. It is a
relatively inexpensive way to maintain good staff morale while driving down the number of sick days.
It is also crucial considering that, due to bad lifestyle choices, 86 per cent of employees have an average
"vitality age" four years older than their actual age, according to a survey by the Britain’s Healthiest Company
campaign.
Incentivise
People are much more likely to take up healthy lifestyles if there’s something in it for them. At Quintiles UK – a
clinical trials company which won Britain’s Healthiest Large Company 2013 – staff can be awarded up to £360
a year for being physically active. This includes gym membership if they show they’ve been at least four
month.
New Belgium Brewing Co. in Colorado rewards each employee with a new bicycle after a year of employment,
and it encourages employees to ride by providing on-site showers and bicycle maintenance supplies. Of its 320
employees, more than half the staff rides to work in the summer.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/unum-employees-roundtable/10830994/workplace-
wellbeing-help.html

Be aware of mental health
With mental health issues accounting for 40% of time off sick, this is a very important area to
consider.
It’s hard to give general advice, but encouraging an open-door policy so staff can approach
managers with problems.
Making sure everyone takes their holiday and that work is adequately covered when staff are
away will go a long way to keeping stress levels down.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/business/unum-employees-roundtable/10830994/workplace-
wellbeing-help.html

Wellness doesn’t need to cost a lot. Good cheap ideas include free Fruit – as often as you can
afford it – and a blender in the kitchen so staff can make smoothies.
Reasons to introduce fresh fruit in the office:
1. They promote office happiness…
… which increases productivity. A study by Warwick business school has found that happier
workers were 12% more productive than normal, while unhappy workers were 10 percent less
productive. And as we all know, mood and blood sugar are closely linked.
2. They make people want to work there
While the droves of people desperate to work at Google or Facebook may not be entirely due to
the free food, more than half of 1200 participants in a survey by Seamless said that a free
lunch would strongly influence their decision to accept a job offer.
3. They build workplace relationships
A communal space like a kitchen provides a meeting place for colleagues who would not
usually interact. This is good for more than just employees’ social lives – kitchen discussions
with people outside the project have solved some of the hardest work-related problems I’ve
faced.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsoed/business/unum-employees-roundtable/10830994/workplace-wellbeing-help.html
http://blog.rckt.com/6-reasons-why-companies-should-provide-free-cerealfruit/

4. They make employees feel valued
By providing free food and a communal eating space, a company shows that it cares about its employees
as humans and recognizes their human needs. Feeling that a business considers you worth spending on
motivates you to do your best for the business.
5. They keep people in the office
Hunger is a massive physical distraction from work, and can act as a 7pm reminder that you should be
heading home. It is reputedly extremely rare for Google employees to leave campus for lunch – and
therefore time wastage is kept to a bare minimum.
6. The best ideas come on the go
From personal experience at least, inspiration is far more likely to strike on the walk from the desk to the
kitchen or when washing up a plate, than when staring at a blank desk or computer screen.
Food perks alone will not build an efficient and tight-knit team – but the environment that non-
hierarchical communal eating generates and the value that it implies a corporation places on its
employees do. Humans have a natural instinct to help their community, and companies can dig into this
by making their office more than simply a workplace – while the employees benefit too from a workplace
feeling of unity.
http://blog.rckt.com/6-reasons-why-companies-should-provide-free-cerealfruit/

Reward them for their Efforts
A corporate event is an excellent way to let your employees know that they are important
and highly valued in the organization. It is also a great way to appreciate them for their hard
work. So in case you’re busy figuring out the right events for your employees, here’s a list of
some popular corporate events that’ll surely boost your employee morale.
Activity-based events – An activity-based event not only boosts the employee morale, but also
adds team spirit among your employees. Some of these events would include bowling
sessions, go-kart racing games, a Paintball day and mini-golf course games. You can even
for a company Soccer, volleyball or softball tournament where employees can participate
according to their departments. These physical activities will allow your employees to blow
out their stress and see their co-workers and managers in the different image outside their
workplace.
Company Breakfasts - This kind of company event won’t cost much, yet it can play a vital role
in boosting your employee morale. It will give your employees an opportunity to spend time
with the management in a stress-free and positive atmosphere.
https://www.cleverism.com/how-to-boost-employee-morale-corporate-
events/

Reward them for their Efforts
Surprise afternoon snack – You can also surprise your employees with an afternoon treat. For
instance, set up an ice cream parlor that comes with vanilla, chocolate and strawberry ice
cream. At the same time, you can even arrange a treat of whipped cream, muffins, any other
popular dessert or snacks like popcorn and sandwiches in this counter. The items you serve
doesn’t really matter. All that matters is your spirit of surprising your employees. Giving
them a sudden surprise will surely raise their spirits and keep them happy.
Employee appreciation Dinner – Events like employee appreciation parties and award
ceremonies are a great way to boost your employee morale. You can distribute certificates
and small prizes as tokens of appreciation. In this regard, you should also try to keep a gift
for everyone in-house. Appreciating your employees through these small gifts will make them
feel valued and important. This will also foster employee loyalty and help them to reach
heights of excellence.
https://www.cleverism.com/how-to-boost-employee-morale-corporate-
events/

Crowd-source Company Outing ideas.
How many times have you been to a company outing that missed the mark?
Instead of putting your HR team in charge, ask for anonymous nominations for a company-
wide outing, then let your team vote for their favorites. Giving employees the opportunity to
rewarding activities ensures that your effort serves everyone.

Don't forget to have fun.
For the online discounter FatWallet, based in Rockton, Ill., fun is a regular part of the
schedule.
Its 55 employees are invited to play in a monthly Game Day, an in-house competition with
activities ranging from Trivial Pursuit to Wii bowling matches.
The company also offers quarterly "fun" rewards when staffers achieve certain goals, such as
hockey games, or playdays at at amusement parks. Team-building events have included a
city scavenger hunt in Chicago and a rooftop Cubs game.

Don't forget to have fun.
An organization that plays together stays together, Amelia maintains.
This is a common thread among the fastest growing companies in the Utah region and
appears to be true for other regions as well.
Property Solutions rocks their employees’ worlds with a winter retreat with an overnight stay
at a winter resort that includes swimming, massage, facials, games, snowmobiling, paintball,
and, of course, ample food.
Even as a smaller organization, Amelia’s team hosts a summer bash for staff and families.
(Single team members can bring friends and roommates instead.) A bounce house, face
painting, and food.
For the holidays, the company hosts a fancy dinner and movie premier night for each
employee plus one. These celebrations acknowledge to employees that the organization
can’t succeed without them.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/cherylsnappconner/2014/09/11/6-ways-to-increase-
employee-morale-and-performance-without-giving-a-raise/2/#5fae8dc74de3

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