Essentially, your employees are the foundation of your business. Without great staff, you won’t get the job done, so it’s important to try and boost their morale whenever you can. Research shows that people who are happy, work harder and more productively. Therefore, not only is improving morale great for your staff, but it’s good for business too.
The benefits of this technique far outweigh any negatives. High employee morale can:
● Improve the level of productivity
● Increase staff retention rates
● Enhance customer service
● Decrease the level of absenteeism
● Encourage greater creativity and innovation
So, without further ado, let’s evaluate six of the best techniques to help boost employee morale.
Provide Regular Feedback
Often, employers avoid giving feedback on performance unless there is something negative to say. Although that should always be addressed, there’s just as much to gain, if not more, by providing employees with positive feedback. Let your staff know when they’re doing a good job as this can boost morale.
Offer Employee Rewards
Positive affirmation goes a long way, however, if you really want to make your employees feel appreciated, why not offer some sort of reward in exchange for great work? The most common form of employee rewards is a seasonal bonus. However, you can also offer stock options, fringe benefits, paid leave, and professional development training.
Schedule Team Building Exercises
At the end of the day, employees need to work in a team. When staff get along together, they work more collaboratively and innovatively. One way to get everyone feeling the team spirit is by organising team building exercises. These can be inside the office, outside, online, or offline. The most important aspect is that everyone gets involved.
Reduce Monotonous Tasks
Employees don’t want to feel like they are wasting their time at work. You should do whatever possible to reduce the amount of time-intensive and monotonous tasks they need to complete. For example, RPA automation frees up a lot of time for employees so they can better spend their time on other aspects of the company.
Implement Remote Working
During the coronavirus pandemic, employers witnessed the benefits of remote working. Understandably there are still many offices that like to see their employees come into work every day. However, the possibility for remote work helps staff feel more productive and relaxed.
Create Training Opportunities
Another way you can boost morale is by creating plenty of relevant training opportunities. Your staff wants to feel like they are being appreciated and that they have space to grow. If you don’t show them these two qualities, it’s likely that they will simply take their business elsewhere.
As we previously mentioned, happy and satisfied employees are great for business. If you’re not sure how the staff is feeling, it never hurts to ask. Simply send out a survey or schedule some one-on-one time with individuals to gather plenty of information. You can also ask whether their needs are being met and which areas can be improved upon.
