Boosting employee morale is one of the most crucial topics that every leader should consider when finding ways to steer their small businesses to grow exponentially. Low morale can result in poor cooperation, low productivity, and augmented turnover. Several studies have demonstrated that focusing on enhancing morale in the workplace can have a tremendous impact on the company’s growth.
Data from Business2Community shows that companies with excellent employee engagement register a 202 percent higher performance than those with poor employee engagement. Another survey from Aberdeen reveals that organisations with engaged employees record a 233 percent higher customer loyalty along with a 26 percent annual revenue increase. These statistics reveal the amount of influence workplace morale can have on the capacity of a business to accomplish its goals. Read on to learn about the five reliable ways that can help small businesses enhance employee morale:
Communicate regularly and clearly
Communicating regularly is one of the easiest ways to enhance employee morale. Interact with your team members, regularly. Ask them how they’re feeling, the challenges they’re facing, and how you can assist. If there’s a looming adjustment to business operations or new programs on the brink of being launched, ensure your employees know about it in advance. Don’t just surprise them with big decisions that affect them. Instead, engage them in discussions that affect them and make them feel that their viewpoints matter.
Give your employees a reason to believe
Your workers are part of something greater than themselves… but are they aware of it? You must ensure your employees understand and share in your business’ vision and overall goals right from the hiring stage. This knowledge will give them a sense of belonging and a reason to give their best in everything they do, whether they’re office-based on working remotely. Powerful and motivating visions account for a huge share of growth and success of many prominent companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple. So, small businesses that want to see immense growth must have a clearly defined vision in place.
Recognise and reward the achievements of each staff member
Everyone craves recognition, especially when they’ve accomplished something. If your staff members aren’t recognised often and possibly rewarded for their accomplishments, they will feel sad and directionless. They may feel as if they aren’t valuable members of your company. To avoid this, ensure you recognise and reward every employee for their achievements – whether big or small. It could be a celebratory meal or a get-together where every employee reflects on their achievements. It could also be an incentive initiative such as “Employee of the Month.” Such programmes can go a long way towards raising team spirits and pushing team members to give work their best.
Encourage work-life balance
Data from Flexjobs shows that 82 percent of employees would stay with their current employers if they’re offered flexible work options. So if your staff members appear disengaged or discouraged, offering flexibility is one of the fastest and most reliable ways to raise their spirits and boost productivity. Employers who encourage their workers to strike a balance between work and life usually retain great talents and build a healthier and more productive workplace. As a business leader, you should serve as an example by modelling an effective work-life balance. You can make email usage past work hours as minimal as possible and take breaks to refocus. You can even spend a part of your week working from a good co-working space, provided by Upsuite, particularly if you live and run your business in that part of the world.
Encourage your employees to take real lunch breaks
A big number of employees spend the entire day at their desks, without taking a break. In fact, 60 percent of workers eat lunch alone at their workspace while working. This is an issue that you should address as a leader. If your employees are office-based, invest in some kitchen remodelling and create a space where they can interact and network with each other. Encourage your staff to take a coffee or lunch break or just step away from their desks for at least 10 minutes every two hours whether they’re working on-site or remotely.
Every small business can reap tons of benefits from an increase in employee morale. If you’re looking for ways to improve employee morale and build a better culture, you can start with the 5 aforementioned tips.
Author bio: Rachel Eleza, Director at Growth Marketing
Photo credit: Ant Rozetsky on Unsplash
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