10 Ways to Improve Company Morale That Don’t Cost a Thing
If you’re looking for ways to improve workplace morale without breaking the bank, we’ve got 10 creative ideas to get your culture moving in the right direction.
Your company is struggling to rebound after the impacts of the?Great Resignation, and morale seems to be the biggest victim. Morale hasn’t been the only thing hard hit, though. Your budget is not what you would like it to be either. So, how can you improve morale without breaking the bank?
I have 10 creative ways you can improve company morale without spending anything. As you look through the following suggestions, we are confident that you will find something to get your organization’s culture moving in the right direction. Who knows? My list might also spark some new ideas of your own.
Improving morale is a team effort
Improving the company’s morale is everyone’s job. With that in mind, we will break this list down into three sections. We’ll discuss solutions that are:
When you work to improve employee?morale, you are actually working to change your company’s culture — or maybe to get it back on track to where it once was. So, let’s get started.
Management-driven solutions for better morale
Effective change starts at the top, so making sure that you clearly communicate what you are working to accomplish matters. Making things better doesn’t have to cost hard dollars. Here are some things you could implement.
Host town hall meetings
Provide information about where you want the company to go in the next 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Keep the meetings small enough to encourage questions from your team members. Maybe you could even consider awarding an elephant award to the person who asks the boldest or most honest question.
Encourage self-care
SHOWING YOUR STAFF THAT YOU SEE THEM AS HUMAN BEINGS CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN HOW THEY SHOW UP EACH DAY.
As you recognize that things need to change, there are things you can do from a management perspective to make that real.
Showing your staff that you see them as human beings can make a world of difference in how they show up each day.
Encourage employee development, training, and career paths
People want to be able to grow with a company. Part of that growth is knowing what their next career step could be. Giving team members the gift of time to learn more about their profession or another area of interest they could apply to the company goes a long way. Yes, it’s true that time is money, but so is the high cost of turnover. You’d be amazed at how many people migrate to other companies who offer this type of benefit.
Employee-driven morale booster solutions
Speaking of the team, handing them the ownership of part of the solution shows them that you trust them. You recognize they have valuable suggestions and can be part of making things better for everyone. Consider putting staff members in charge of these areas.
Office beautification
Studies have shown that having living green plants in a work environment not only purify the air but also create a subconscious sense of calm and comfort. When individuals have something to care for, that nurturing tendency extends to other areas, too. By encouraging team members to bring in a few plants, you give them a piece of ownership of the site. Nobody wants to be the one whose plant is not thriving.
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Team bonding
When the staff is in charge of creating?team events, it is no longer a perceived as an event that must be attended. Now it’s going to be something fun that brings some levity to the group. Laughter is good for the soul, and encouraging the team to find ways to have some fun will go a long way toward improving morale. Who knows what could come of it when you let people use their creativity.
WHEN THE STAFF IS IN CHARGE OF CREATING TEAM EVENTS, IT IS NO LONGER A PERCEIVED AS AN EVENT THAT MUST BE ATTENDED. NOW IT’S GOING TO BE SOMETHING FUN THAT BRINGS SOME LEVITY TO THE GROUP.
Knowledge sharing
Many people want to learn more about other areas of your company. Encourage employees to create times to share about their department. Give them a chance to educate others about:
When people have a chance to be viewed as an expert, they begin to feel differently about their job. They gain a greater understanding of the company and how they have a real opportunity to help others.
Working together to improve morale – collaboration is key
In reality, morale is an underlying indicator of employee satisfaction. If morale has dipped or even tanked, there are things you can do in conjunction with your staff to move things in a positive direction.
Reduce the electronic overwhelm
In today’s digital world, electronic communication is not only the norm; it is expected. Unfortunately, email, texts, and direct messaging frequently take the place of personal interaction. There are times when it is essential to have written documentation to make sure that everyone has the same data they can look at. However, there are other times when that email really isn’t necessary. Work together to find that balance without sacrificing transparent communication.
Create employee satisfaction surveys
One way to get to the bottom of morale issues is to ask what the real problem is. Robust employee satisfaction surveys invite participation from employees during the creation phase. To do this, invite team members to anonymously submit questions they believe would be valuable measures of:
When you seek this information from those closest to it, you will get valuable information.
Invite team participation in solution generation
Share the information with your staff once the data has been returned from the employee satisfaction survey. Be transparent with it. After all, they know what they submitted. They also have likely had discussions with others. Once everyone has had a chance to digest the responses, ask for volunteers to work as a group to create solutions to specific challenges. Once again, this gives the team a sense of ownership. When they’re responsible for developing the change, they will have stronger ties to its success.
Acknowledge life events
Creating a sense of community is an essential part of solid morale. One way to do that is to let people know they are valuable — and seen. Celebrate milestones. Publicly. Yes, it’s quite true that some of us prefer to stay in the background and not be the center of attention. Even so, as the team works together to create memories, even the most introverted will eventually look back and think of that moment with some fondness.
Give your team the gift of time and attention
When your team sees that you sincerely want to be part of making the environment happier and healthier, they will jump on board when you give them a chance. Then you all will find the truth in saying that an atmosphere of solid morale is everyone’s responsibility.