5 Easy Steps to Boost Staff Morale
Experiencing low staff morale happens to every business at some point. The challenge is to ensure it doesn’t get out of hand. Poor morale is like the sniffles. It might not seem like much at the start however if you don’t deal with it straight away, it can leave you flat on your back!
Some people say the solution is to hire right in the first place. Yes, that can help. However there have been many amazing employees hired only for them to become disengaged over time. Some people say the solution is ‘prevention’. Yes, ‘prevention’ is better than ‘cure’, however it’s still negative. Prevention is about putting things in place so the ‘bad’ stuff doesn’t happen.
The ideal approach is to focus on ‘what you want to create’. Think about it now. What’s one positive ‘behaviour’ you want to create more of within your workplace?
An amazing study by Gapbusters showed when a company chose to focus on creating ‘Happy Employees’, staff satisfaction rose by 6%, and customer satisfaction rose by 17%!
So what are some simple things you can do to create a workplace which people want to be a part of? What we’re about to share is based on the following core beliefs:
- We all want to be SIGNIFICANT
- HAPPINESS leads to SUCCESS (not the other way around)
- Positive human CONNECTION is the most important element to life
So this then raises the questions:
- What can we do to help others feel significant?
- What can we do to be happy?
- How can we connect in meaningful ways?
Matchboard’s supplier has developed a new set of four ‘Guiding Principles’ which address these questionsand show managers how easy it can be:
- Connect
- Appreciate
- Serve
- Fun
These 4 Key Principles appear quite simple, however their power is in their simplicity.
How to Use the 4 Key Principles to Boost Morale
So here’s your challenge…
Step 1
Decide on one ‘behaviour’ or ‘value’ you want to create more of within your workplace. Then for the next 21 days, link your ‘new behaviour’ to these daily challenges…
Step 2
‘Connect’ with someone different in your team each day. Find out something you never knew about them. Be genuinely interested, ask questions, find out what they’re passionate about outside of work and make sure you follow these conversations up.
Step 3
Show your genuine ‘Appreciation’ to a different person each day. You can acknowledge someone’s great work or better still acknowledge who they are. Thank them for what value they bring to the team and workplace. It’s important you appreciate people in ways which are meaningful to them. We all have different ways we like to be thanked. If you’re not too sure how each person likes to be thanked – ask them.
Step 4
Take 10 minutes each day to ‘Serve’ someone different on your team. It might be helping them with a task, offering to ‘hold the fort’ so they can leave early or making them a cup of tea. Make it different to what you normally do.
Step 5
Have ‘Fun’. Often the easiest and best way is do a little 5 minute fun activity at the start of your team meetings. It can be a game, a challenge or just sharing a funny story. The most important thing is to ensure that the fun is always positive, inclusive and playful. It should never be at anyone’s expense.
Try these simple 5 steps for 21 days and you’ll be on your way to creating a workplace people love!
If you’d like assistance in creating a highly engaged and happy workforce, please contact us for an introduction to the author.
Last updated on: April 23, 2024