Nobody wants to work his/her way to retirement just sitting at a desk inside a cubicle strictly following orders. Lately, that’s a fear employees all over the world are developing due to the lack of energy in the workplace. This intern leads to high turnover and depression within the organization. If your employees are not happy, it directly hinders their growth and productivity. This is something many successful Multi-National Organizations all over the world has come to understand and are effectively working against it. Employee productivity is the biggest factor behind an organization’s success and it should be a top priority.
Here are a few methods to boost employee morale in your workplace that has proven to be successful:
1. Promotions and Rewards
Employees need appreciation for their efforts. If their dedication keeps going unnoticed by their superiors, they eventually stop trying. Whenever an employee delivers a good performance, a simple nod of appreciation with a “good work!” can do wonders. Regularly promote your outperforming employees to encourage similar behavior. It will also play a big part in preparing them for future opportunities.
2. Lunch and Learn Sessions
Schedule a lunch and learn session every week out of office hours to talk about something off-topic. This will create a casual tone in the workplace and show your employees that you also care about their personal growth. Studies have shown that eating together can get rid of awkwardness, anxiety and establish a friendly bond between the participants.
3. Office Field Trips
There’s something about a working environment, that restricts relations to a certain extent. In order to be completely open and comfortable with each other, your employees need to connect outside the office. Organize a vacation with your staff to a holiday destination for a weekend. You will be amazed to see the dramatic change in relations when you come back to work on Monday.
4. Gaming Contests
Studies have shown that video games can boost adrenalin in your body and trigger brain function. Always have a Play Station in the lunchroom. Organize a gaming event now and then with a paid leave as a reward. This will also create a casual tone in the workplace and relieve stress.
5. Anonymous Communication Channel
Your employees should also be able to share their views. Furthermore, they should be able to address any grievances without fear. Employees often fear persecution for voicing their concerns. Make the feedback/reporting process completely anonymous. Knowing that their concerns are addressed can be a great motivator. Employee YourSafeHub in your organization to protect your employees. It’s an anonymous reporting and feedback tool for organizations of all shapes and sizes.
6. Dogs
This approach might seem a bit unorthodox, but it has proven to be quite effective in many big organizations. Dogs have proven themselves to be a great employee morale booster. Nobody can stay sad when there’s a cute dog around. It will also help you retain employees with pets, as not many organizations are dog-friendly. But it can be tricky to create a dog-friendly workplace. You would need approval from everyone on your staff, make sure nobody has allergies, assign a space for pets, and hire a caretaker.
7. Monthly Polls
If you ever visit McDonald's, you can notice a chart on the wall behind the counter that ranks the top employees of the month. You might also notice the ‘always positive’ attitude in their employees that comes with it. A monthly poll based on performance can be a tremendous motivator for your employees. Everyone from your staff will try their best to get or stay on top. Make sure that ranking is strictly performance based and unbiased.
8. Bean Bags over Desks
This is not something that can happen overnight, nor is it something that your figure could be important. If you have a strictly professional code in your workplace and it’s the way you prefer it, skip this one. Although a casual workplace like this can do wonders in some sectors. Many startups now days are going with this theme their office, with laptops instead of desktops and bean bags over chairs and desks. This creates maximum comfort and establishes a completely casual tone in the workplace. Again, this is not for everybody.