Maintaining Morale Isn’t As Hard As You Think

This blog is a help reference for companies that prefer to recruit within their own company resources.  These morale tips are offered by an IT Recruitment Agency.

 

In the current times of unpredictability, it is more important than ever to build strong working relationships between employees, teams and managers. Ignoring warning signs or assuming everything is okay can lead to low morale, high staff turnover and low productivity. Fortunately, it doesn't take much to keep the workplace positive and engage with staff. Here are some warning signs of impending problems and some ideas on how to deal with them.

 

Behavioural Changes

Changes in employee's behaviour can signal an issue in either their professional or private life. If a previously reliable employee starts having numerous sick days and is less engaged and productive at work, it's a signal for you to reach out and make sure they are alright. You need to provide a supportive environment where they can choose to share issues if they feel comfortable and ask for help if they need it.

 

Negative Rumours

With uncertain economic times and many people still working from home, communication with your team is more important than ever. Failing to keep people up to date on what is happening within an organisation leaves people second-guessing and offering their own interpretation of events. These are often way off the mark and can cause no end of trouble when it comes to team morale. Being honest and upfront about where the company is headed and how a project is tracking will help prevent rumours from growing arms and legs. It will also build trust and lessen feelings of insecurity.

 

Lack of Engagement

If your team is under performing and failing to engage, it's crucial to establish why. Before approaching team members for answers, take a look at your own behaviour and management style. If your team is failing to give 100%, there is usually a reason, and most often, it is a management issue. Are you demonstrating the values and work ethic you want to see from your team? Are those values realistic? Do your team members feel comfortable sharing new ideas or different ways of doing things? Always try to lead by example and treat team members how you'd like to be treated by your managers.

 

Recognition

It should come as no surprise that people work harder when their contributions are appreciated, and they'll put in extra effort for someone they trust and knows values their hard work. Budgets may be tight, but that's no excuse to avoid recognising when people go above and beyond. Simple acts like a thank you email to your team, bringing in treats for the team to share or paying for a round of drinks after work all go a long way to building better relationships and rewarding employees. Company reward programs are also worthwhile, but they need to be responsive. After all, issuing a reward six months after the event defeats the purpose.

 

It's far easier to prevent a drop in morale than rebuild it from rock bottom. Maintaining strong communication lines, engaging with individual team members, and giving recognition will help to create a positive work environment. When staff feel valued and appreciated, a workplace is naturally more positive and productive. So, why not take the time to assess staff morale within your team and implement some changes to keep morale high and your team positive.