How to Improve Staff Morale

Fact: Happy employees work harder, are more dedicated to the company, and ultimately perform better. In this article, we'll go through six steps you can take that will boost the morale of your staff, hence increasing their productivity and loyalty.

1: Improve the Office Environment

When employees feel like the company is making an effort to provide them with a healthy, visually compelling, well-organised environment they look forward to going to work and are far less likely to leave for another company.

Improving the office environment does not always require a top-down remodel. Sometimes all it takes is introducing some plants and replacing cubicles with movable glass partitions that allow natural light to penetrate into the centre of the office space.

2: Communicate

A lack of communication is sometimes the biggest negative drag on employee morale. Data from Gallup suggests that 74% of employees feel as though they're missing out on various company information and news. Meanwhile, a survey carried out by Harvard Business Review found that a lack of communication in one corporation directly contributed to the rate of employee defection. It's important that staff members have a certain amount of autonomy, but there is often a fine line between autonomy and neglect.

These examples underscore the importance of keeping staff members in the loop regarding company goals and performance. This enables employees to put their efforts into context which, in turn, gives them a better sense of being a valuable member of the team.

3: Recognise Effort and Excellence

Employee recognition programs are key to retaining staff – a report released by IBM in 2015 found that intention to leave an organisation was twice as high among employees who weren't receiving any recognition for their work, compared to ones who were.

It should not come as a huge surprise that staff members appreciate it when others recognise their hard work. Unfortunately, many employers allow key staff to toil away for years without ever muttering a word of appreciation and are then surprised when they move on.

4: Encourage Feedback

Many employers are hesitant to encourage employee feedback. Perhaps they feel that asking for staff input will make them seem weak or desperate, or maybe it just never occurred to them that their Finance Assistant might know a better way of doing something.

The bottom line is if you want to boost staff morale, open your ears to their feedback. You won't be able to put everything you hear into practice, but the fact that you're willing to listen will help them feel more like a member of a team.

5: Loosen the Tie a Bit

No one is going to mistake their accounting or bookkeeping job for a night at the comedy club. It's exacting work that requires laser focus. Being honed in on spreadsheets for long periods can be enervating for the spirit, so it's important that you provide staff members with opportunities to exhale and share a laugh or two.

A more relaxed, enjoyable workplace starts at the top, with relaxed, relatable management. Not that everyone needs to suddenly transform into social lions, but if you can find ways to break down the walls between yourself and your staff, everyone will benefit in the long run.

6: Promote Team-Building Activities

If your staff are to work as a team, they need to feel like a team. One of the best ways to encourage team culture is to promote team-building games. These games foster a sense of inclusion, encourage staff members to collaborate and helps them flex their problem-solving muscles.

If you can't come up with any games yourself there are lots of websites that provide dozens of game ideas that are easy to implement and can be enjoyed by all. Games, of course, tie in nicely with the notion of promoting a more relaxed fun workplace.

Contact JMF Associates

If you're looking for new permanent or interim talent for your firm, JMF Associates is your resource for recruitment in the UK. Contact us today by calling 020 8663 6699 or by emailing team@jmfassociates.co.uk.