Have you ever had times when you felt your employees seem more demotivated than usual? Does the atmosphere at the office seem a little bleak at times? If so, perhaps it may be time to liven things up and give your employees the energy they need.
Low morale in the workplace can be something hard to shake off and impact your workers’ productivity. As a team leader or HR manager, you can lift your employees’ moods and morale to get them to feel less stuck. Happiness and laughter can be infectious, so spreading joy can help everyone in the office regain their creativity and energy to complete their work efficiently.
If you are unsure of where to start, you do not have to fret as we have some simple tips and tricks to help you. Let us share our best three methods to help boost the morale in your workplace.
1. Care for your employees’ well-being
A little bit of kindness can go a long way, so take the time in your day to show your employees that you genuinely care for them and how they are doing at work. Workers have good days and bad days; it can help to have an employer or leader who encourages them once in a while.
Depending on your workplace’s culture or what your employees prefer, you can do short check-ins on their well-being by sending them a message, having a casual conversation during lunch break or speaking to them in small groups at a time. You may be able to discover some of their struggles that you may not have realised before. Whichever way you decide, it can be beneficial to ask how your workers are feeling from time to time.
By caring for your employees’ well-being, you can also take this as an opportunity to evaluate the possible everyday stressors in the workplace and reduce some of the anxiety they may be feeling. A caring leader can make for more empowered workers.
2. Create a safe working environment
Besides looking out for your employees, you can also improve the space that they usually work in. There are many ways to do this and get your employees to look forward to coming into the office happily.
Employees greatly appreciate a leader that can listen to their most essential needs in the workplace and make a change. Creating a safer and more positive environment allows them to feel more comfortable seeking help and confiding their feelings in you when they face challenges while working. Knowing that you can be a trustworthy leader that actively improves the office experience helps your workers feel more confident and at ease.
You can learn how to create a safer space for your employees in many ways, including coaching; pick up new ways to care for their wellbeing with a professional’s guidance. Making an effort like this can be a step in the right direction to make the office conducive.
As long as your employees can productively do their work, you can try making work a more flexible job. Providing them with some comfort helps reduce unnecessary stress and bring more peace to their minds, which they will appreciate you for in the long run.
3. Show your employees you are grateful to them
Simple ways of showing appreciation for your employees who work hard and do well at their jobs can leave a long-lasting positive impact on them mentally and emotionally. There are many great ways to show your employees your gratefulness, but the most common form in the workplace is through verbal praise.
Gary Chapman discovered five love languages that we use: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Physical Touch and Receiving Gifts. From a collaborative survey[1] by Bonusly and SurveyMonkey, 32% of participants chose Words of Affirmation as the way they would like to be shown appreciation the most.
Feeling appreciated can be one of the best feelings ever, and why not show it when you can? Encourage your employees by saying “good job” or “you did well this week” to bring a big smile from ear to ear. Leaving a note at their desk or sending them a friendly email is another way to spread your kind words as a morale booster.
Conclusion
It should be easy to make your employees feel cheerful and confident while working. Not only will their work performance improve, but the environment will be more conducive and ideal. These tips are a few out of many you can try to become a greater team leader that cares.
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[1] Des Georges, C. (n.d.). The top Love Languages at work—based on the data. SurveyMonkey. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.surveymonkey.com/curiosity/the-top-love-languages-at-work-based-on-the-data/#:%7E:text=On%20top%20of%20that%2C%20almost,get%20a%20raise%20or%20promotion.
