How to boost office morale

Employee engagement continues to be one of the greatest challenges for modern workplaces. The current low unemployment rate and candidate-led market mean businesses need to invest in talent retention initiatives to ensure they don’t miss or lose out.

Your employees’ engagement levels can be best measured during busy periods, as this is when they are most susceptible to stress and low morale. During this time, even the most passionate of employees may experience a drop, resulting in reduced performance levels and overall productivity.

Therefore, it is essential to implement structures that boost office morale, recognising that in times of negativity, employees may need their employer to go a little bit further to encourage productivity and performance.

Involvement

It is very important for each employee to be involved in the future of the business, not only for themselves, but to help to generate fresh ideas that you may not have thought about. It may be that you are launching a new page on your website, or maybe that you are taking on a new client – whatever the venture, let your colleagues know and ask for their opinion. Your employees will certainly feel valued if they are included in important discussions about the company’s future. Take their all-important feedback on board – after all, they may offer a relevant perspective that could influence your business strategy.

Team meetings are a great way to communicate with the entire business. Whether you hold a daily, weekly or monthly catch up, your employees will appreciate being involved and getting a better understanding of the business as it stands.

Recognition

All employees like to be recognised for their hard work. Most employees will go above and beyond what is expected of them, working out of hours and on weekends in order to deliver high standards of work. A ‘thank you’ goes a long way, and your employees will be thrilled to see that you appreciate their efforts.

Try to keep a note of birthdays in your Outlook diary, with reminders, so you can wish them well on their special day. You might also consider taking an interest in their outside life. It will be up to them if they want to keep this information to themselves, but they will still be grateful to know that you care.

You may have delegated a task to a particular employee that could have been part of a larger project. When the project comes to an end, show said member of staff the outcome. This way they will understand how important their input was in the entire process and will feel extremely valued.

Company days out

Company days out are a great way to show your appreciation while also fostering a sense of community and camaraderie. These don’t need to be extravagant – they can be as expensive as you want them to be! You can pick and choose the activities – you can to take the team away for a long weekend for a team building exercise, or spend the day locally, getting to know each other outside of the office. You may just want to go for dinner or even just drinks. By encouraging social time outside of the office, your team can step out of work mode and enjoy their colleagues’ company regardless of what’s happening 9-5.

Promotion

When you are next looking to fill a role within the company, think about your current team. Would a certain member of staff fit the role perfectly? Promotions are a great way to boost an employee’s confidence and they will feel as though you have faith and trust in them.

Do try to offer training and coaching to your current employees. This will be beneficial to both yourself and your staff member and they will feel valued since you are investing time and money in them.

Responsibility

Delegate important tasks to your team. By giving them additional responsibility to their current role, they will feel their worth within the company. It will also display your trust in them and that you feel  they are capable.

Targets

Give your employees targets, with rewards at the end. This could be additional days’ holiday, or even money or gift vouchers. This will incentivise your team, boosting staff morale and will help to generate more enthusiastic and passionate employees.

Clean office, clean mind

Ensure that your employees help to keep the office clean and tidy. No one likes to work in mess!
Try to operate a ‘clear desk policy’, where each employee must tidy up before they leave for the day. A tidy desk helps an employee to work to their full potential – it can be a huge struggle to be productive when surrounded by paperwork and empty coffee mugs.

General perks

Some companies like to offer additional perks to their staff. This may be something as simple as leaving slightly earlier on a Friday afternoon, offering free lunch one day a week, welcoming dogs once a month, or by bringing in ice creams for the team on a hot day. Small things go a long way when trying to make staff happy.

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Would hiring a PA, EA or employee experience manager ease the stress of your employees? Get in touch with Tiger today to see how we can help.

Author Tiger Contributor Tiger Recruitment Team