Boosting morale is not a one time shot. It takes time, effort and energy to keep an upbeat attitude.
Boost Pride & Professionalism. Have any shrinking violets at work? With meaningful work and professional development opportunities, everyone should be proud of their role. If you don’t sense a spirit of pride at work- you know people need to be recognized for their contribution. Regularly show employees why they should be proud and their work is meaningful. Highlight how you support the community and contribute to others.
Of the top reasons people leave their work- is they don’t feel appreciated. ACTION - Don’t leave this to fate, make sure people feel genuinely recognized. Appoint employees to this role.
Organizations that play together stay together. It’s trite but true. Having fun at work turns the routine into festive and encourages positive workplace rapport. ACTION - Add humor and play to meetings, cluster interaction, and shift change. Motivational speeches that engage and inspire help but only if they are relevant.Glean the element of surprise. People remember the unexpected (i.e. - Not many people will forget September 11th). ACTION - Create positive memories by engaging in the unexpected. Surprise people with activities, rewards, games, and recognition. Be creative, the more surprising the better!
Smiling Inspires Confidence. Smirk- it’s good for business. People feel at ease and comfortable when others smile. When your staff smiles it inspires confidence. ACTION - Spend time walking around smiling and encourage people to have fun at work. Self development starts with a positive disposition.
Tell your story. Your organization has a purpose, history and vision… Share it. Your story helps people feel like a part of something important. ACTION - Communicate your story often at meetings and retreats. Appoint employees to act it out or tell it at company events.
Manage Expectations. High expectations can lead to disappointment. Define for your employees and customers reasonable expectations. ACTION - Clearly outline what others can expect from any interaction/ procedure or role. Under promise so you can routinely over-deliver.Settle for No Less than Learning. Learning is a priority, so look for the lesson in everything. Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. Most people are doing the best they can, given the time and resources they have. ACTION - When mistakes happen don’t punish but make sure they are treated as a learning opportunity. Have a seminar that encourages people to discuss near misses and opportunities to improve.
Insist on Respectful Behavior. Disrespectful acts are instant morale crushers. ACTION - Clearly define and communicate what is respectful behavior and what is not. Acts of disrespect should be reprimanded. Challenge each other with respect.
Involve. The more you involve people in problem solving the more they will buy into the solution. ACTION - Create a system to solicit input and incorporate it before rolling out change.
Laugh, Lighten up and enjoy your Mind! New brain research by guest speaker, Dr Candace Pert suggests that when we laugh we use our brain to its highest capacity. Laughter immediately boosts endorphins, increases energy and decreases stress hormones. ACTION - Have laugh breaks to encourage the active use of humor. Put games, joke books, stand up comedy tapes in the lunch and break areas to help people engage their humorous side.
