What kind of emotional environment are you creating in your office? You might not think about this question daily, but you need to be thinking about it if you want your business to succeed.
If your employees are coming into work just waiting to get back home, you need to make some changes. The status of morale in your office is closely tied to company culture. If you’re noticing a dip in everyone’s attitudes, it’s time to reevaluate.
“Culture is not something you build overnight,” says Nexa. “It’s a constant process of doing the right things, adhering to the right values, and leading by example.”
But how do you make that happen? We break it down below.
Show appreciation
The first step is simple; let your team know you value them! You chose them for a reason, right? Remind yourself and your team of those reasons.
LinkedIn shared that 69% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognized. This stat makes sense! Everyone wants to feel like their hard work is essential.
Show your appreciation in a variety of ways. Start with verbal recognition. Say good morning to everyone on your team, every day. Go out of your way to praise good ideas and your team’s achievements, and make sure others hear that praise. Discourage negative talk, and don’t play into it yourself.
Something as simple as leaving early on a Friday or buying the team lunch goes a long way.
Open up communication
Opening up communication is key to boosting morale in your workplace. We’ve shared before that “communication is your first line of defense against conflict in your workplace.” Your team needs to feel heard to maximize their happiness.
Try to open the floor to everyone in a monthly meeting. This meeting might not feel super productive at first, but it will let you hear new points of view. Better yet, it will show your team that you want their active feedback and value them. (For bonus points, buy them breakfast or coffee for the meeting!)
Also, make sure you’re giving individuals direct feedback regularly. Taking 15 minutes out of your day to check-in makes a huge difference. Encourage your leaders to do the same with their teams, and you’ll start a trickle-down effective of better communication.
Encourage flexibility
Flexible work hours aren’t a passing trend. They’re hugely influential on the happiness of your employees. Some stats to think about; 69% of younger workers believe attending the office every day is unnecessary, and 45% would choose flexibility over pay when deciding between jobs.
You don’t need to move to an entire remote office. Try making work more flexible first! Let your team leave early for appointments if they need to, have them work from home as requested, allow them to come in at times to miss traffic you get the idea.
Obviously, your team needs to prove that they can be productive with this flexibility, but it will become a huge bonus in your workplace if it works. If you need extra support, consider outsourcing. It’ll increase employee satisfaction as well since your team can focus on their core responsibilities and not worry about administrative tasks or answering the phone.
Boost morale and productivity
Boosting morale might not happen quickly, but it’s crucial work for your business to succeed. Your team will be stronger, more productive, and happier overall with increased feedback, flexible schedules, and improved communication. Your company culture will develop as well, as a result.
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