|
ZweigWhite Consulting
Fact: Most people
spend more than one-third of their day at work. Sometimes, they spend more
time at work than at home with their families. Because we all spend so much
of our time at work (or thinking about work when we're not there), shouldn't
workplaces be a place where people want to spend eight hours a day?
Creating a positive work environment and in turn, good morale, has
tremendous value. First, good morale inspires employees to put in time and
effort which, in turn, increases productivity. Employees who feel a sense of
commitment and responsibility to their employers will likely demonstrate a
better work ethic and dedication to getting their jobs done right. Second,
positive morale gives employees a reason to want to go to work. If someone
dreads going to work, he/she will probably find ways not to be there by
taking sick days or, worse, looking for another job. Morale is important to
monitor consistently and, if you're having a hard time keeping a pulse on
the attitudes in the workplace, get the opinions and perspectives of some
managers and senior team members.
Certainly, morale can change from day to day or week to week depending on
current events, but if your environment needs a little perking up, here are
a few ways to boost the morale of the workplace:
One-on-one
meetings.
Some people call them informal reviews. Others call them casual meetings.
Either way, the point is to connect with individual team members on a
periodic basis to find out how things are going— both at work and life in
general. It's often easy to forget that other realms of life exist when
you're focused at work, but keep in mind that Sally's performance at work is
affected by how things are going in her life in general. So when you check
in with her, find out how her projects are coming along and what challenges
she's dealing with. But also find out how she spent her weekend, and what
she's doing over the upcoming holiday. Don't have a lot of time to spend
with Sally? Take her out for a ''cup of joe'' or play catch-up over
breakfast or lunch.
Casual meetings will establish deeper relationships, trust, and loyalty, as
well as help you know the current status, strengths, and limitations of each
employee.
Team meetings.
Frequent team or division meetings serve to keep all employees informed of
how business is going. Some companies have difficulty with ''open-book
policies,'' but knowing where the company stands in its revenues and
profitability can help employees understand the ''big picture,'' know what
they are working toward, and address what needs added attention. If staff
are aware of monthly and annual revenue goals and how well the company or
division is tracking against these goals, this will help everyone realize
the common goal that is being pursued. These meetings also provide a
terrific forum for voicing ideas, giving feedback, making announcements, and
getting everyone on the same page periodically as a whole.
Delegation of
responsibility.
Have each member of your office or department be responsible for something.
No matter how small the task, delegating the responsibilities for keeping
operations running smoothly gives everyone the feeling that they are
contributing toward a greater good. Even small tasks, such as retrieving
company mail, ordering office supplies, delegating IT responsibilities, or
designating someone to organize social events creates a sense of
contribution and importance— which everyone in an organization should feel.
Be careful of overburdening others with too many tasks, but if done casually
and regularly, delegating responsibility should help create a stronger sense
of teamwork and shared responsibility.
Training programs.
Staff retention and morale can be positively affected with the introduction
of a training program. Whether this program includes brown-bag lunch
sessions or formal classroom education, training is recognized as a
company's investment of time and money into improving the knowledge and
skill sets of employees. This investment should be well-received by
employees, who will feel a stronger sense of commitment and appreciation to
their employer for finding ways to help them become better professionals.
Furthermore, a formal training program can add variety to the ways that
employees can learn and take on new skills.
Frequent outings.
Sometimes the best way to improve morale in the office is to get everyone
out of the office! Team outings can strengthen the bond of the group as well
as liven up any atmosphere that has become ''all work and no play.'' Happy
hours are easy to incorporate and shouldn't blow any budgets, but if budgets
are being closely watched, just ''go Dutch.'' Doing lunch together as a team
shouldn't be difficult to organize, and rewarding employees with spending
half a day outdoors as a group— especially when group performance has been
good— will go a long way.
Finally, remember that workplace attitudes start at the top. Stay
enthusiastic and positive at the workplace— positive attitudes are
contagious and can easily liven up any situation.— MALANCHA GHOSH
(mghosh@zweigwhite.com)
|
CONSULTANCY
SDN. BHD.
