Since employee morale can quickly make or break a company’s success, it is important for business leaders to keep spirits high. After all, low morale can lead to low productivity, poor teamwork and an increase in turnover. An effective leader will keep a close eye on the general morale in the office with simple and creative approaches.
Here are a few of the ways we at Media Partners Worldwide boost morale.
1. Show You Care
At Media Partners, we recognize every single employee’s birthday with a special lunch and themed decor. If someone is getting married or having a baby or celebrating a significant time in their life, we make sure to send gifts in acknowledgment. CEO, Natalie Hale, believes that being involved in employees lives let them feel loved and valued. Not just as employees, but also as family members and human beings.
“When people are loved, they will give more than you can imagine they could for you and your cause,” Hale said. “My employees are the lifeblood of the agency and I want them to know that they matter.”
2. Get Employees Involved
“Whenever possible, I try to get my employees involved with office decisions. Recently, we were looking for a new buyer and several of the employees were involved in the interview process,” said Hale.
Delegating as a team to make decisions for the office on things like new software or new companies to work with can definitely boost the morale. Involving employees in the conversation, makes each person feel they are a valued member of the company. Everyone has their own individual thoughts and suggestions and it’s important for everyone to feel engaged and that their feedback makes a difference.
3. Create a Comfortable Environment
Currently, we are in the process of rearranging the office to make it more comfortable for the staff and more welcoming to visitors. As I mentioned above, this is a collaborative effort. We are bouncing ideas off one another and giving our suggestions to our CEO. Comfort in the office is important because we spend the majority of our week in this building. People are more productive when their environments are healthy and happy.
4. Provide Lunches and Snacks
Food is always a great morale booster. Our CEO provides lunch on a weekly basis which the entire staff greatly appreciates. It is a way of showing us that we matter as well as a special treat to look forward to. Rewards such as these, or snacks, significantly improve the morale, as well as bond the entire office more closely together. In addition, outings like lunch at restaurants or a company happy hour are fun ideas to switch up the day to day routine.
5. Be Flexible About Time Off When Necessary
Your employees shouldn’t have to dread asking for time off. As dedicated as each staff member is to the business, they do have a personal life outside of the office. Necessary requests for family or health purposes require business leaders to be flexible and giving. This improves morale because employees know that if something comes up in their life, they won’t be penalized for it at work. Getting rid of any sense of dread, if possible, will allow your staff to actually be happy coming to work! And that is what every company wants. Happy employees!
6. Find Ways to Give Back to the Community
Everyone feels great when they give back. During Christmas time, our office sponsored a family with the Long Beach Women’s Shelter. Our entire staff contributed generously and we eventually had bags and boxes full of presents to give to the family in need. Finding ways to contribute to your community will not only develop notoriety within your city, but it will also boost the attitude in the office.
