Your business is who you employ, your business is what those people do and your business heavily depends on how they feel.
If a worker is feeling down, if a worker is feeling like they are not valued, you can expect a drop in morale and a significant drop in the quality of work they put in.
And this morale is what can break or make your business. On the other hand, if you manage to satisfy your employees and make them happy, you can expect a better attitude towards the job and better results.
But doing so is not an easy task. So, take a look below at the top five ways you can boost morale in the workplace without pumping money and giving raises.
Display your respect
You have to respect the ones that work for you. This is the 21st century and you cannot be a ruthless boss who rules with the iron fist. Instead, you have to value your employees since they are your most valuable assets. Recognize every single employee’s birthday, send best wishes and gifts for new babies and weddings. Don’t be too intrusive but get involved to an extent in the lives of your employees.
Heck, if you can’t really start to love them, then do your best to at least show some respect and appreciation. You know, being there and letting them know that you are not in a ‘strictly business’ relationship with them can go a long way when it comes to morale.
Don’t be afraid to praise
It is only fair to give credit where credit is due. You have to follow that policy. When someone does an awesome job, tell them. Words of praise are a good morale booster. And of course, it is important to recognize your employees’ efforts.
Because that only further perpetuates their desire to do more and more for your business. Also, find ways to reward hard work. It doesn’t have to involve money. You can reward your hard-working employees with a day off or something similar.
And if you have the funds, gift them something. Appreciate what they do for you but don’t just stick to words. Also, when you are giving negative feedback, do it privately. Don’t highlight someone’s mistakes and present that to the whole team. That’s horrible.
Hold events for your employees
Hold corporate events! This simple but significant idea is a good morale booster and it’s been around for quite some time now. An event is a great chance to let your employees know that they are important and highly valued in the organization.
It’s also a great way to say thanks for their hard work. Plan a great event, execute it and you’ll see that your employees will appreciate it. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be a pancake breakfast or a potluck lunch. Or you can also take them to a bowl or plays some mini-golf. Activity-based or not, it doesn’t matter. Events are great for morale.
Create hype
It’s all for the greater good, right? Well, if your employees are not so sure, you have to convince them. They have to have a reason to believe. They need to feel that they are a part of something bigger. Well, truthfully, they should be a part of something bigger.
And if they don’t know that, remind them. Tell them. You need to let them in on your vision. That vision will motivate your employees to work harder and better.
If you have employees that mechanically do their job and have no idea what the real motives at your organization are, well, you can’t really expect great things. If it seems meaningless, you are doomed. Having a vision is motivating, having a vision is inspiring.
Recognize the drive
Recognize the drive in your employees. What that means is that you need to see if there is someone in your workplace who has skills that are not only limited to their current position. Try to find out what skills and talents your workers have and see if you can do something to develop those skills.
As your business grows, you’ll need more capable employees with a wide range of skillsets. If you see that you have a real trailblazer in your company, don’t just neglect that fact. Invest in that member and train him/her. And when others see how you can reward from within. They’ll have an extra kick of motivation to do a better job every day.
Conclusion
You see, it doesn’t always have to be about money. There are other ways to improve morale. And now you know that.