How to Boost Employee Morale and Motivation
Published by Theta Studios in Gifts · Monday 14 Dec 2020
Low staff morale will undoubtedly create a toxic working environment that demotivates new employees, and will eventually bring a business down. So you have to know how to boost employee morale and motivation and keep your staff interested so your business improves statistically.
We will let you in on 5 effective ways to help boost your employees' morale and motivation that will in turn improve your business. But first...
It is important to know that staff morale can be affected both ways; either up or down (positively or negatively) and likewise with motivation. How you behave towards your employees and how your staff behave towards each other will impact morale; positively or negatively.
The purpose here is to influence your staff’s morale in a positive way to benefit not just your business but them as well. It’s always good to motivate your employees in a way that benefits them. Incentivize them properly and the knock-on effect will be a satisfied and productive workforce.
So how do you improve staff morale and motivation?
The answer to boosting employee morale is PRODUCTION – the more production the higher the morale. When someone is producing well they feel good (high morale) and have job satisfaction.
But how do you motivate your staff into being productive to improve their morale?
Well answer this for yourself. Are you currently, or have you ever been employed or associated with someone that never acknowledged the good things you have done? Maybe you did some exceptional work that was dismissed or overlooked. Not a thank you in sight; or a smile of appreciation. How did you feel?
One thing that will de-motivate a company’s employees, keep lower production levels and consequently low morale, is to NOT acknowledge the good works of their staff. Business-employee relations can be ruined in an instant with an attitude that appears ungrateful!
Now, how do you feel when someone gives you a big thank you, even a thank you gift, or a pat on the back for a job well done? You feel acknowledged and somewhat proud of your achievement and are happy to do more. Good sincere acknowledgements will boost motivation which will naturally cause staff to be more productive and hence feel high morale.
Whether for company employees or clients you do business with, make an effort to show your appreciation in what they have done for you. A special thank you or small company gift goes a long way to furthering your business relations, motivation, productivity and morale. Your business will flourish.
5 Effective Ways That Instantly Boost Employee Morale and Motivation
1. Acknowledgments
A sincere "Hello" or other such communication makes a BIG difference. Acknowledging a worker's presence, even with a smile, will raise their morale. You are letting them know that you know them and they are not just another number in the company.
2. Good Manners
Showing good manners towards your staff shows you respect them as people. Allow employees to BE themselves - despite what quirks they may have, and help to spread the use of good manners throughout your workforce. Acknowledgements are also a part of showing good manners.
3. Granting Importance to Others
No matter what status or position someone holds, whether a C.E.O. of a company, receptionist or cleaner; grant them importance. Treat employees on an equal level and show they are important - one and all. They will respect you for that.
4. Compliments and Praise
If an employee does their job correctly or well - Tell Them! Compliments and praise help to motivate staff doing correct actions and boosts their confidence. Even if they do something wrong; find what they are doing right and compliment that; then correct the wrong action.
5. Special Gifts and Staff Awards
Giving an employee award or special gift to staff (and even to clients) that have exceeded your expectations, is a very special thank you that really shows you care about them. Set up a "Staff Member of the Month" program and award the best employee with a special gift.
These simple methods will make your employees feel valued and appreciated. They will feel motivated to be more productive and by being more productive will feel happy and will want to stay. As a business owner or an executive, your attitude towards your staff makes a big impact that will help to improve your staff production, expand your business and increase profits.
So, use these 5 simple but effective methods in your company and see how much your business improves. The other great benefit here is that it makes you feel good when you make someone feel special. Give it a go and see what happens!
Improving Employee Job Satisfaction and Productivity
Even if you haven't got a low morale problem with your employees, it still makes sense to get your staff fired-up into producing more, in order to expand your business. Improving your staff job satisfaction levels will increase their productivity and as said earlier, their morale. To help increase employee job satisfaction and motivation try:
1. Improving staff involvement in the company2. Boost their self-confidence in and out of work3. Reward highly productive employees
No one is going to be more passionate about your business as you (if you are the owner or executive), but you can help raise the passion in others. You can help build staff commitment by getting them more involved in the company and to understand that when the business is successful, it will be a benefit to them also. Here are a few ways to help build that involvement and commitment:
- Share your overall purpose and goals with your staff. A good purpose will always be one that helps others. Tell your employees what your company purpose and goals are so they understand what you (and the business) are trying to do. Making the purpose fixed in the minds of your staff will give them focus and direction.
- Allow your employees to be fully responsible over their posts. Let them make decisions and solve their own problems related to it. Clearly a manager would oversee and manage the area, but allowing staff to be responsible for their immediate function within the company makes it theirs and gives them ownership.
- Involve employees in management strategies. Not all employees are business-minded but one or two may have great suggestions or innovations for expansion. Develop a business culture that encourages staff participation and experimentation and reward for successful contributions.
- Reward high production and penalise low production. Create a "game" or rewards system within your company that rewards highly producing staff such as a special company gift, award, or certificate. This will boost production and morale. Conversely, don't let poor production go unnoticed and without dealing with it effectively. Get the low-producers on board somehow or cut them loose - for they will become heavy anchors and pull down the ship.
- Create a "family" with your staff. Get your staff feeling like they are part of a family by planning social events that will bring them closer together. Building good relationships between employees makes it a pleasure to come to work, more fun and will less likely want to leave - reducing staff retention problems.
Recognizing and Rewarding Staff to Boost Motivation
When a business needs help with meeting a deadline or overcoming a problem staff are usually happy to help. But if that extra help gets ignored or is under-acknowledged, workers will wonder why they bothered and may think twice about helping the next time. Acknowledgments are important for boosting motivation. But what if staff members go far beyond their role; exceeding company expectations? Wouldn't that require a befitting gift? That's why companies implement recognition and reward programmes as a way to boost employee morale and motivation in the workplace.