4 Ways to Boost Team Morale

What does morale mean to you? For many business owners, morale is how “happy” their staff are when they are at work, but that is not the end of the story. The level of morale within an organization is directly linked to the team’s motivation, efficiency, creativity, dedication, loyalty, and productivity. It is influenced by the clarity and openness of communication between leaders and staff, how well staff trust in their leaders, and how well taken care of they are. If you are concerned that morale has dropped in your organization, here are four ways to boost your team’s morale and, as a result, their motivation and productivity. 

1. Hold regular one-to-ones

One of the quickest ways to lose your staff is to make them feel that they do not matter or that you have forgotten about them. This can lead people to feel that they are not supported or appreciated. To avoid this, schedule a monthly one-to-one meeting where you can focus on one employee at a time, address any concerns or wishes they might have, and ensure you are nurturing their development. This will give them a regular opportunity to voice their opinions and deepen your relationship, leading to improved communication and trust. 

Of course, your team should not feel like you do not have time for them between those scheduled meetings, so it is important to create a culture of two-way feedback and openness. Some people thrive off more regular feedback and support, so consider providing tools and plenty of opportunities to request feedback from their line managers. 

2. Invest in training for your managers and team leaders 

Too often when businesses decide to invest in training, they do so for their frontline staff when the managers and team leaders of those staff are also vital to the business’ overall success. A poor or disconnected manager may end up being the root of a lot of unrest in your company. Your team will be made up of skilled and diverse individuals with a wide range of talents, but do the managers understand where they can find the right people for the right tasks? Do they know how to show team members they are valued and to get the most from their team? Are they connected with their team on a personal level? 

3. Support your team in and outside of work 

It is vital that you provide your staff with the training, tools, and resources they need to succeed in their work (including remote employees who may feel detached from the team). This ranges from a professional IT support service that will enable them to complete their work to a high standard without interruption to the devices and software they are working on, but it is also important to support their wider professional and personal development. There are plenty of training packages that help individuals to improve softer skills that can be applied to a wide range of settings and scenarios including empathy, communication, leadership, and conflict management.

4. Make time for fun, social connection, and relaxation

While it might not be at the top of your business strategy, it is important to remember that your team is humans with a need for connection, relaxation, and fun. This is not always easy to find in the average working day, but that is all the more reason to create opportunities for social interaction either in the office, by going away for team-building activities or meeting up for food and drinks. 

Originally posted 2021-11-24 00:40:01.