Whether you have a small or large company, neglecting company morale can be detrimental to your business’s success. If your employees are not happy with their day-to-day jobs, they will look elsewhere — meaning the talent you have taken the time to hire and cultivate, may be moving on to your competition.
Company morale doesn’t have to be overwhelming or challenging — there are a lot of ways you can boost your company’s morale every day, keeping your employees happy and your company thriving.
Recognize Individual’s Accomplishments
There are many ways to recognize your employees without breaking the bank. A simple birthday shout out in a company meeting, a thank you card, or recognition of their accomplishments (professional and personal) can make your employees feel valued and appreciated. Whether it’s a wedding, work anniversary, new baby, or maybe they received a promotion — as a business owner, or manager, you want to take time to appreciate your employees’ life events with your team.
Plan a Company Outing
Company outings are a great way to bring the whole team together and engage in more than work-related conversations. A company outing can be simple, like a company lunch out or a trip to the brewery after work. Our company recently did an outing to Hardywood West Creek Brewery and we all had a great time. We felt valued and more motivated the coming days (and clearly it inspired us to write this blog!) which definitely boosted company morale for us.
Surprise and Delight
If a company outing is out of the budget, never underestimate the power of a coffee run. Any kind of treat you can afford to give your staff is guaranteed to make them smile and feel appreciated. It doesn’t have to be very often either — the occasional surprise and delight is just as powerful at boosting office morale as an outing is.
Share How Your Company Helps Others
Employees feel happiest in their career when their jobs feel more than a job. If your business gets positive feedback from a client, be sure to share that with your employees. Positive reviews and the celebration of your company’s success will help employees feel excited, worthy, and confident, which in turn will help employees feel more satisfied with their role at your company.
Invest in Training and Development
Cultivating your employees’ talent not only helps your employees feel more confident in their roles, but it also keeps your business competitive. If you fail to provide training and/or development to your team, then your employees may fall behind in your industry, which could cause your business to fall behind as well. Take the time to conduct research to find conferences, trainings, and other kinds of learning experiences that will challenge and cultivate your employees further so that you can stay ahead in your industry.
Eat Lunch Together
This is a simple idea that goes a long way. Even if you, as the owner, don’t have time to sit down and eat lunch (as many entrepreneurs don’t) encouraging your employees to take breaks and engage in conversation with each other builds a better working environment. Each day, our team takes a break together and watch an episode of The Office. It’s a great way to relax and rejuvenate in the middle of the work day, while also bonding and sharing with each other as a team.
Complete Community Service Together
Volunteering is a great way to not only boost morale, but also give back to your community. Your employees will enjoy the break from the day-to-day office life and will be able to come together as a team to help others. Plus, community service is a great way to get your company’s name out in the community in a positive way. Check out some local events you and your team could volunteer at and make it happen!
Ask for Feedback
As a business owner or manager, it is important that you are always open to change and growth. Giving your employees a chance to speak their opinions (whether it’s about your company’s process or work environment) helps them feel heard. When employees are heard, they are happier. Change can be intimidating, but in order to give your employees the best working environment you can, they should always feel comfortable expressing their feelings and opinions to you.
Of course, company morale goes farther than gifting your employees things. Appreciating their everyday contribution to your company is far more valuable than any treat. While these ideas are great to add to your company’s morale, it’s important to remember that creating a positive work environment is the foundation for a positive work life. What other company morale boosters do you recommend? We’d love to hear more ideas! Send us a message today.
