A tough business environment, an uncertain economy, increasing competitive pressure, and new work practices – including the move to teleworking – can affect employee morale.

For example, research shows that:

According to SMARP.com, the majority of companies have found it harder to retain than hire employees. They also found that:

• More than a third of workers are looking actively or casually for another job.
• U.S. employers spend $2.9 million a day or $1.1 billion a year to search for new employees.

So, it could be a mutually rewarding practice for businesses to consciously try to boost the morale of team members thereby creating a happier environment, which will hopefully encourage their workforce to be more eager to contribute.

 

A Harvard Business Review study suggests an overly strict business culture, with a focus on all work and no play, can be harmful to productivity at times and that a more positive, supportive work culture has the potential to lead to happier employees and employers, a better work-life balance, and a better work culture.

A Harvard Business Review study points out that workplace stress may siphon off more than $500 billion from the U.S. economy each year and may be responsible for more than 550 million lost workdays. The study also found that stress could be responsible for up to 80% of workplace accidents and over 80% of visits to the doctor.

Even when given perks, such as flextime and work-from-home benefits, employees say they prefer workplace well-being over material benefits.

Some characteristics of a positive work culture include:

• Treating one another with respect, trust, and dignity.
• Not playing the blame game and forgiving mistakes.
• Providing support for one another, especially when colleagues are struggling.

12 Ways to Help Boost Team Morale

Here are some tips to help you create a work environment that can play a part in improving employee morale and attracting and retaining the top talent.

1. Cultivate Better Social Connections
Fostering better social connections on the job can help improve the work environment and get greater engagement from employees. Part of this involves encouraging coworkers to get to know one another outside the boundaries of work. Work picnics, after work gatherings, lunchtime clubs, trivia events, and even coffee breaks are ways to get people to know one another personally and professionally. It’s especially important to help ease new hires into the company, perhaps inviting them to social events, like the holiday party, even before they punch the clock for the first time.

2. Encourage Real Lunch Breaks
Some workplaces pride themselves on having employees tied to the mast through lunches, with many people having a bite at their desks. A break is meant to be a break, and workers might be happier and more productive if they take real lunches in the breakroom or outside of the office.

3. Limit Communications Outside Working Hours
Receiving an alarming email from a boss late at night, on the weekend, or upon waking up, can be very stress-inducing for an employee. Unless a job requires around-the-clock availability, try to keep work within working hours as much as possible.

4. Bring Family Into the Work Equation
Family plays an important part in most people’s lives. To recognize this, one idea is to set up “bring your family to work” days, or consider inviting them to events like holiday parties. (run on sentence and very confusing)

5. Put Your Heart in the Right Place
People appreciate companies that have their hearts in the right place by supporting worthwhile causes. They will be more likely to to help organize events and do fundraising for whatever charity or cause the company or team designates as its own.

6. Embrace Equality and Inclusiveness
Statistics reported by Salesforce reveal that companies that embrace equality and inclusiveness in their workforces will sometimes enjoy real financial gains. For example, gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform their less-enlightened peers. Ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to do the same. And employees who feel their voices are heard at work are almost five times as likely to feel empowered to do good work. Listen closely to what all of your employees have to say, so you can continually fine-tune and improve your inclusive culture.

7. Provide Regular Feedback

Research shows that employees value regular and ongoing feedback and not just once-a-year performance reviews. One good practice is to connect the feedback and recognition to the organization’s core values and mission and convey to employees that their work has meaning and value. And another is to ask for employee feedback on a variety of issues faced by the company.

8. Embrace Transparency
It has been reported that more than preceding generations, younger workers expect hard job advancements such as promotions and pay raises every year. It’s a good idea to be open and transparent about career tracks and promotions, which can help to increase employee morale and the incentive to improve their performance.

9. Appreciate and Recognize Your Employees
To make workers feel appreciated, recognize personal milestones and losses. That someone won a marathon outside work could make it into the company newsletter. A signed sympathy card, delivery of flowers, and a collection for a designated charity could help a colleague who has had a family death. Honoring work anniversaries and celebrating birthdays are more ways to recognize the value of individuals.

10. Sponsor Professional Development Programs
If you help your people grow, they are more likely to stay with you and help your business grow. So, helping to offset or even cover tuition expenses for someone’s school costs to upgrade their qualifications will help your company as it increases the employee’s morale. Covering the costs of attending seminars, trade shows, conferences, and webinars is also a win-win proposition.

11. Encourage Healthier Behavior
More than 80% of employers invest in well-being initiatives or plan to soon, recognizing that workers are more productive when they are healthier. Since stand-alone wellness programs often only get limited employee engagement, many companies are exploring encouraging wellness through every aspect of the organization, including active workstations, healthier foods available in break rooms, better lighting, and by other means.

12. Offer Sabbaticals
Some companies have adopted sabbaticals to allow employees to pursue personal passions, get a better work-life balance, and get better retention rates. Workers can volunteer, travel, spend time with the family, and do other things they might have thought they had to quit their job to do.