Employee happiness at work might vary widely from person to person. It might be having a fantastic employer who encourages creativity, pays employees for going above and beyond and supports their professional aspirations.
On the other hand, we frequently observe workplace scenarios that are quite the reverse. Few things are as expensive and disruptive as good individuals leaving a company, yet we often hear managers griping about their best workers departing. Most of the time, people do not leave their jobs; they leave managers and owners. Managers tend to attribute this problem to everything under the sun while ignoring the real cause.
Team morale is a characteristic that has consistently been important in raising employee satisfaction and assisting in keeping high-calibre employees on staff. Sadly, business owners frequently ignore this aspect of management. Many managers adopt practices and behaviours that essentially kill workplace morale rather than cultivating and supporting an energetic and dynamic staff with a positive sense of teamwork.
Building a positive work environment takes time but can have immediate and long-term benefits. On the one hand, there are several things you can do to improve the work environment and raise morale, such as having a positive outlook, being receptive to employee input, and occasionally setting aside time to acknowledge colleagues’ achievements.
You can raise morale by removing demotivators. Undoubtedly, morale killers abound in workplaces of all stripes, and the more you eliminate them, the happier your employees will be.
You must establish an environment that challenges, rewards and empowers people if you want to keep them. If you cultivate a climate of intimidation, inconsistent behaviour, inflated expectations, and practice habits that sap team spirit, you won’t be able to do that.
These are five common manager habits that kill team morale and should be avoided at all costs:
Overburdening Employees
Employee burnout does exist, to be sure. Work can be hard, and employees are frequently required to come in early, work overtime, or work weekends to finish a project. That is to be expected, particularly if you and your staff are committed to your careers.
However, you must be careful not to expect this level of commitment every day, as doing so would lead to the burnout of your best workers. Most workers truly want to deliver excellence at all times, but they still have limits because they are also people.
The easiest approach to keep a good employee content is sometimes to let them enjoy life outside of work. The team spirit at your office will be destroyed if you overwork your personnel.
Zero Career Advancement
People want to work in a job that has prospects. Some individuals might be forced to work in such a position to provide for their families or whatnot. However, the majority of people would concur that a position with room for advancement is much more desirable. Naturally, progression is considerably simpler in some workplaces than in others.
As a business owner, you might think there aren’t many opportunities for career advancement, but there are. Employers can assist with this problem by emphasizing internal hiring. Allow other employees to interview for and be promoted to the vacant position when an employee quits, changes jobs, or transitions to a new position.
The knowledge that there are opportunities for promotion is typically enough to raise employee morale.
Firing Threats
Some managers try to improve team performance by threatening to fire workers. This is a sloppy and limited strategy for encouraging employees. People who feel they are disposable are fast to go on to another work where they will be respected and valued.
A better approach will be to use a positive reinforcement method; you can initiate certain performance-based employee perks programs; this will motivate workers to do their best to have access to some of those performance-based benefits.
Micromanaging Employees
Most employees dislike having a manager peek over their shoulder during work. Owners of businesses should always try to keep in mind that they employ the staff because they can perform the tasks; thus, they must permit them to do so. Micromanagement destroys employee morale rapidly.
Why do you need to waste your time watching them work when you have the power to approve their work in a supervisory capacity? You don’t need to hang over them like a school teacher if you have given them clear instructions. Back off and give them the independence and creative control to do their work.
Lack of Appreciation
It is simple to undervalue the impact of a compliment, especially when it comes to high performers who are naturally motivated. Nobody enjoys compliments more than those who put in much effort and sacrifice.
Workers can easily lose interest in their jobs when their efforts go unappreciated. Make an effort as a business owner to commend the staff for their achievements and give them awards when due. Employee appreciation can significantly improve team morale, whether it takes the form of a straightforward “thank you” or a remuneration.
Wrapping Up
As a manager, you should be aware of these typical mistakes and take strong precautions to prevent them. The easiest approach to avoid making these errors that can inadvertently ruin team morale is to adopt a positive mindset and practice servant leadership.
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