Top performing managers and business owners understand the importance of employee morale. When morale is high, employees are motivated and firing on all cylinders. They enjoy coming into work and feel more fulfilled when they leave.
Many workforce experts will argue that if you have productivity problems, morale is most likely at the center of the issue. It could be isolated to a single department or widespread across the entire office. Either way, boosting office morale has to be a top priority.
The more you invest in employee happiness and satisfaction, the higher the morale will be. The good news is there are easy ways to do just that by making a few managerial decisions.
Gourmet Coffee Service
There are a fair number of people who don’t fully feel like themselves until they’ve got that first cup of coffee in hand. A gourmet office coffee service is one break room investment that will really pay off. Given that a cup of java puts a pep in people’s step, it’s worth spending a few more dollars for high-quality coffee and machines.
Workout Room
Another invigorating perk that’s showing up in more offices is workout rooms. It can be a space for stretching and yoga, a studio with resistance machines or a cardio cinema room. The point is that employees are given a place where they can beat the sitting syndrome and boost their endorphins.
A residual benefit of this perk is healthier employees. Healthy employees take fewer sick days and help keep health care costs in check. So encourage your employees to get up and get moving during short breaks.
Encourage Philanthropy
Corporate philanthropy is a win all-around. A worthy cause gets help, your employees feel the reward of volunteerism and it helps your company connect with the community.
Giving back as a company and allowing employees time to volunteer is a powerful sign to job applicants. If you want to recruit the top applicants and retain employees actively encourage philanthropy.
Find Ways to Infuse Fun
It’s hard not to like working at a fun office, but fun doesn’t have to mean unproductive. As long as you make it clear the office isn’t a playground and deadlines are serious business, a bit of fun will have a big morale boost.
For example, instead of having a company email, a gregarious employee can make a regular podcast to keep co-workers up-to-date on company information. Or you could knock off an hour early one Friday of the month so everyone can enjoy a fun outing.
Preach Positivity
High morale creates a positive vibe around the office. It also works the other way around. Maintaining a positive mindset helps keep morale high. Preach positivity from the top down to make it a part of your company culture.
Give Employees More Control
Autonomy is an immediate morale booster for employees. It shows that managers trust them to make sound decisions and want them to grow in their job role. You can go a step further by handing an employee the reigns on a project.
But projects are just one way to give employees more control at work. Flex schedules are becoming more common because it allows employees to gain a better work/life balance. Instead of being focused on how many hours are clocked at the office, the emphasis is put on meeting deadlines and hitting goals.
Micro-Management – The Morale Killer
Nothing kills office morale quicker than a helicopter manager. Employees will always be on edge and creative thinking will fall off the radar when micro-management is the norm. When managers can step back and be leaders rather than the person handling every detail things run more efficiently and office morale gets a lift.
It doesn’t take much to make employees more motivated to do their very best at the office. Trying the ideas above is a good start to creating an office environment that boosts morale.