Low team morale? Boost it with these three clever ideas
When energy is running low in your offices, and lethargy seems to be dominating, your employees are probably going through a dip in their collective morale. Low morale amongst employees can lead to hostile and negative environment in the workplace. Employee morale can make or break a business, so it is crucial to monitor it and give it the occasional boost to ensure things are up and running smoothly. There are several ways that are likely guaranteed to quickly boost team morale and boost positivity and productivity at the same time.
- Celebrate Accomplishments: It’s easy to let everyday accomplishments get buried in the routine of mundane tasks, the firefighting, and the preparation for the challenges that the future will throw out. It is important, however, to acknowledge accomplishments and recognize them publicly. If a person’s contribution is valued, it inspires confidence in their work and the motivation to work harder; it inspires loyalty and ownership towards the company; and instills a general sense of well-being and job satisfaction. Public recognition means that people will also realize that the company notices each individual’s achievement, and they are not seen merely as cogs in a machine. So let them see they are valued, through notices, announcements in the newsletter, gift certificates, employee-of-the-month type awards, and so on.
- Team Sports: Getting the entire company involved in a sport is a great way to kick morale into high gear. Putting together teams from different floors or departments to compete against each other will give each team and the overall company a chance to bond. They can name their own teams, design jerseys for themselves, and pick mascots. To make it even more fun and get everybody involved, even the non-sporty people, pick a game that everyone likes. Bowling is a great way to boost company morale. Corporate bowling is a team sport and a company outing rolled into one, and everyone can and loves to bowl. Bowling alleys are bright and fun and most will also help you out with a menu of food and drinks you can serve, as well as decorate with company logos and banners.
- Community work: Helping out in the community by contributing services to local schools or NGOs can do wonders to boost low morale in individuals. If you feel like the energies of your employees are rundown and need a lift, give them a few paid hours a month to do community work, with organizations they choose, or those you can tie-up with. Let them also participate as a group in charity events such as walkathons. In addition to allowing them feel good about themselves, this will also make them feel good about the company, and work with renewed respect.
These are several effective ways to combat flagging company morale that are easy to incorporate in your company policy, such as community service hours and setting parameters for recognition. These techniques to boost team morale can also be a great fun bonding experience, such as corporate bowling.
