When was the last time you woke up excited for work? Maybe it was somebody’s birthday so you could count on a slice of cake in the afternoon.
Or maybe, you were genuinely excited to get into the workplace simply because you love the workplace culture your company has cultivated. If that sounds like a stretch to you, then it’s likely you and your co-workers are suffering from low morale.
But this isn’t a death sentence. There are plenty of ways to get team morale back on its feet.
Or, at least sitting up in bed – depending on how low employee morale is. Either way, boosting employee morale really isn’t as difficult as it sounds.
No, it won’t necessarily include a lot of rally cheers or dance parties (or maybe it might? Especially if you get the party started with a virtual comedian).
But these tips below will help you develop the professional skills necessary to maintain employee motivation. And this will make the workplace a destination employees can’t wait to dive back into.
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Benefits of employee morale and motivation
Already, low company morale doesn’t seem like a bunch of fun. But just in case you’re wondering how important it is to motivate employees, check this list of benefits to see how high morale can help your employees feel more supported.
Increase in workplace productivity
When workplace morale is high, employee engagement skyrockets as well. And you know what that means: Greater employee productivity!
You know how hard it is to get a task done when you have no motivation whatsoever. Well, the same goes for employees and their work performance.
Employees put in the extra effort
Positive employee morale is a great way to encourage employees to go the extra mile. And the best part?
Most of the time, they won’t even notice they’re doing it! Because when employees feel supported by their workplace, they’re much more generous with their time and efforts.
Boosts your company culture
What is company culture anyway? Is it something in the water? Or just the right tools to boost engagement levels overall?
We’d like to think it’s the latter. Besides, high-quality work often comes from a team that knows how to work together.
Gives your company a competitive edge
We don’t just mean in terms of salary increases. We’re talking about employee retention and customer satisfaction.
Each of these is in direct correlation to employee morale. So if you want your company to give others a run for their money, consider higher morale your next best investment.
Greater employee loyalty
There’s no question that low morale leads to employees who eventually leave. After all, when the work quality and self-esteem just aren’t there, the job is no longer fun, is it?
So if you want your remote team to understand just how important their contributions are, focus on employee motivation. Of course, loyalty can’t be bought. But it can be earned.
(Pro tip: A great way to earn your employees’ loyalty is with a virtual event host who can brighten up the workplace. You know, make it feel like a Friday when it’s only – ugh – is it only Monday?!)
Causes of low employee morale
Now, we get that these aren’t the highlights everyone loves to talk about. But not talking about low morale is a quick way to let it fester and spread.
No opportunities for employee development
There’s no question that employees’ motivation often comes from the possibility to earn more opportunities. Whether that’s a little extra paid time off.
Or, the ability to do remote work with added responsibility. Either way, the promise of a better tomorrow is a great way to improve employee morale and motivation.
Lack of communication
If your team meetings are lacking in either content, communication, or even attendance, you can bet that team members won’t feel too motivated to get any work done. That’s because team members need clarity.
They need to know which remote workers are doing what job and how each team member can support one another. After all, isn’t that what staff morale is all about?
Change in leadership
Nobody likes change, but that doesn’t stop it from happening. That’s why in times of transition, employee morale is more important than ever.
Monitor employee morale during times of uncertainty and you’ll notice a quick downfall. So get folks to look at the overall outlook and let your employees understand that banding together during changing times will only make the whole team stronger.
Poor leadership
Sometimes, managers just aren’t doing their job to the best of their abilities. And unfortunately, that can wreak havoc on employee morale and employee engagement.
So improve employee morale by taking the time to assess what areas are in need of a little extra care. Whether that’s a person, department, or even a shift in company culture.
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Issues with the company itself
Nobody likes to say it. But sometimes, the company itself just isn’t doing so great.
That’s a quick way for high morale to take a nosedive. But yet again, it’s an opportunity for remote employees to band together and improve morale should they have the right kind of leadership to guide them.
Ways to boost employee morale
Alright, the moment you’ve been waiting for! How the heck can managers boost employee morale?!
#1. Have an open door policy
No, we don’t mean open every door in the building to let that sweet fresh air in. (Not that that’s a bad idea though…)
But when we say open door policy, we mean making sure that managers and leadership are as accessible to employees as possible. We’re not saying you have to willingly hand out your personal information to employees.
But having your door open will do wonders for motivation. It shows you have nothing to hide!
#2. Collect feedback
Employee feedback is a fantastic way to not only increase employee morale, but measure employee morale as well. Everyone likes to be asked what they think about things.
Well, almost everyone. And engaging employees in this way tells them that you want to hear them out!
If you think about it, this is just another way to recognize employees and welcome their ideas to the table. Now doesn’t that sound flattering to you?
#3. Work on team building
At the end of the day, employees are just human beings. And sometimes, human beings have a little difficulty getting along.
But team building is a great way to get employees to focus on how they can work together on the same side. No more pitting department against department.
This time, it’s about overall morale. And no department is getting left behind!
#4. Don’t skimp on employee recognition
Sure, asking employees for their feedback is a way to recognize them. But don’t pass up the opportunity to shed a light on someone who’s done a particularly stellar job!
Employees like to know that their efforts will be praised. And besides, this might inspire other employees to jump on board and tackle the next big project with gusto.
So recognition is much more than just celebrating a particular individual. It’s about taking stock of the effort they put in and forging forward with that same motivation and positivity.
#5. Make senior leadership accessible
A great way to boost employee morale is by making any higher-up’s as accessible as possible. Similar to the first point, this is all about having a policy that makes communication flow in a much more dynamic way.
The last thing you want is to have senior management that’s difficult to track down. Because then, who else would lead the charge?
So give employees a fighting chance to have a relationship with senior leadership. You might be surprised just how much those relationships do to motivate the company as a whole.
#6. Create a healthy work environment
Too often, the value of emotional intelligence is overlooked. But that’s what’s at the core of a healthy work environment.
This means recognizing that all employees have a life beyond the office. Allowing them the right to a work-life balance.
It’s easy to get bogged down in work and think that that’s all there is. But employees will take note of your emotional intelligence when you give them a chance to catch up – and they’ll be all the more motivated to put in their best efforts.
#7. Put the organization’s goals into practice
Sometimes, an organization’s values are just there for show. But when those values and goals get put into practice, there’s a particular impetus for employees to similarly do the work that their company is doing.
It’s kind of like walking the walk if you’re going to talk the talk. It’s a subtle way to give employees a boost when it comes to motivation.
But it will give their work purpose. And having meaningful work to do is one of those things that you just can’t buy.
#8. Train managers instead of just giving feedback
Sure, employee morale and motivation tends to focus on the employees. But managers deserve the same care and recognition too!
Instead of giving managers feedback, consider training them every so often. This way, managers stay in the loop of what’s expected.
And they can feel free to ask questions to higher-up’s as well. When it comes down to it, morale and motivation are really all about communication.
#9. Bring in some corporate entertainment
If you’re really stuck on how to motivate your team, then there’s really nothing better than bringing in a little treat to the office. Like a corporate entertainer!
Not only will this performer have folks laughing their heads off. They’ll have your employees bonding through laughing and breaking down boundaries.
We’re not just talking about a chuckle here and there. We’re talking about a full comedy set of team building in disguise.
#10. Treat team members to an outing or a lunch
Five days in the office, 8 hours a day is a long time to spend in one place. So why not change things up a bit with a company outing or lunch!
This will surely give employees and managers alike a chance to slough off any dull energy from the workplace. And then return rejuvenated and ready to go.
Besides, lunch is always better when someone else is buying! (We wish we could put a winky face emoji but for now, you’ll just have to settle with this: *winky face*).
Smells like team spirit!
Motivation can sometimes feel like an unattainable entity. But hopefully, this article has shown you that when it comes to employee motivation and morale, it’s really nothing too far for you to reach for!
Whether you hire out a clean comedian to lighten things up in the office or simply focus on boosting employees’ self-esteem, your dedication to their overall happiness is what counts. Really.
Sometimes, that alone will show employees just how much you care. So consider this your own pep rally cheer to get you off and running!
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Adam Christing is a professional comedy magician, virtual MC, and the founder of CleanComedians.com. He is a member of the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood and a popular corporate entertainer, magician, and virtual speaker.