Have you ever walked into an office and felt that elegant confidence that is produced by a team of individuals who enjoy their occupation, excel at their tasks, and perhaps most importantly, thrive within an industrious and creative community? A rapport like this doesn’t happen on its own. While every individual in an office may nurture it, skillful and humane management is the key to the creation of strong community and high morale.
Management style has changed dramatically over the last few decades. People used to expect to have very few jobs during the course of their lives. With this expectation primarily outdated, relationships between management and workers have clearly changed.
In many ways, employees currently have less loyalty to their companies than they used to. Whereas obtaining a lifetime of security through staying stationary in a sole company was once held in high regard, modern professionals are more interested in finding the best, most rewarding position for themselves. And they’ll stay on the move as their ideals evolve!
This self-interest is not necessarily a bad thing for morale, however. What it means for management is that in order to have the best possible employees or team members, workers need to feel as if they are in the best possible job. Employees will be motivated…and employers will reap the benefits of a happy, productive workplace.
It’s essential to realize that what motivates one group of people is not the same for another. These motivations tend to follow generational expectations. The motivation for a lifetime of job security, for example, is most common in depression era workers, whose morale is enhanced primarily by a feeling of confidence in the security of their positions.
Employees who are in the twenty to thirty year age group have very different expectations. They will simply leave if they feel as if their needs are not met because they do not have the same anxiety about finding another job. Because of these distinct generational differences in workplace motivations and expectations, it’s important to find exactly what it is that an employee needs in order to feel that he or she is in the uniquely right position. Despite the fact that people come from different backgrounds and respond to different motivating factors, fortunately there are some universal influences!
Say the word. One major way for employers to promote positive feelings of motivation in their workers is to let employees know that their presence makes a difference to the company as a whole. Empower your employees by letting them understand how their work positively affects the company. Ask employees “What makes a job perfect?” Sometimes simply asking is enough to let people know that you are listening, and that they are being heard.
Tune into the emotional needs of your employees. A manager of a successful company with enviably high morale shared a story of a valued employee who was part of a newly blended family. Summer childcare was something that she had never had to plan for in the past and consequently, she felt that she could not meet the demands of her work schedule. The manager listened carefully to her situation and proposed that she work from home every other week during these summer hours. The concept worked out wonderfully! The manager’s one simple act of empathy and understanding regarding the employee’s life situation produced a positive ripple effect. The employee reacted with even greater loyalty to the company, and morale in general improved as other employees observed this caring interaction.
Generate a spirit of gratitude in your office. Letting people know on a daily basis that they have done something both wanted and needed maintains a sense of your expectations on a platform of positive reinforcement.
Set and monitor the vibe. Unfortunately, one or two employees with morale problems can affect the entire atmosphere of an office. Sadly, when you walk into an office, even if you yourself are filled with enthusiasm, motivation, and high self-expectations, it is difficult not to experience a let down when another employee is engaged in negative behavior. It is the responsibility of a manager to keep a system in place that works against being undermined by the few.
Address change. Resistance to change and new authority is a common morale buster. When one employee is promoted and suddenly has authority over another who was previously a peer, managers need to address the shift immediately. Similarly, rumors and grievances that arise over changing personnel or procedures need to be taken care of quickly in order to focus the energy of the office on work, rather than morale problem solving.
Nothing personal. Sometimes an employee will have chronic personal problems and seemingly ingrained negative behaviors. This type of cycle is something that must be addressed openly, and if a solution cannot be reached, the employee may have to be let go. Otherwise, the constant negativity may create a whirlpool that steadily draws everyone into its current. Chronic complaining and defensive attitudes take their toll on morale, too.
In these cases, make sure not to become emotionally involved in an employee’s dramatic response. Stay calm, and carefully explain your expectations. Often when employers are clear about what they expect and offer boundaries, employees have the confidence to move beyond their habitual negative responses and on to creative solutions.
The best way to achieve good morale is for employers to create an environment in which promoting positivity is everyone’s responsibility. Managers are doing their best when they help all workers feel as if they are able to focus on what’s important in the office—great work everyone feels proud of!
For more great tips from Ken Goodfellow Founder and CEO of CKG Ineternational check out the Coach's Corner Section of CKGTV.com your premier resource for free online real estate agent and broker training
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