The situation isn’t a lost cause; a person’s outlook on life is malleable. The question is how to bring out a high morale in each of your employees. Here are three tips to help:
1. Remove the biggest barrier to creativity: the inflexible 9-5
In recent years, the 9-5 corporate job structure has been breaking down in the tech world. The dissolution of this structure has been a blessing for employees who work in the office as well as those who work from home. They now have the freedom to be creative on their own terms, and are not under any pressure to simply clock hours and look busy.
The acceptance of this flexible structure has brought meaning and purpose back to the way people connect with their jobs.
What’s wrong with the 9-5?
Tech companies rely on their employees’ creativity and innovation. Unfortunately, the traditional 9-5 template wasn’t designed to support creative expression. Giants like Google, Facebook, and eBay know this, and that’s why their offices are structured differently.
The eight-hour workday structure was introduced as a law in 1867 to provide relief for the factory workers who were working grueling 10-12 hour days. It just doesn’t provide the freedom most tech workers need to do their best.
2. Reduce points of minor frustrations that build
An employee who has to deal with broken equipment, appliances, and inadequate tools on a daily basis is going to feel resent toward the company at some point. These minor inconveniences add up to big frustrations, not because something’s broken but because they’re often left unresolved for long periods of time.
The most common minor breakdowns that are often left unresolved include:
- A wireless printer that won’t connect. Although it’s today’s standard, Wi-Fi printing is still a luxury. This becomes clear when employees have to unhook their laptops from external monitors, grab a USB cable, and physically connect to the printer.
When your printer doesn’t work at all, it’s even more frustrating. If one of your employees is already on the edge, they could end up in anger. This is a real possibility, and it happens more often than you think. Keeping your office equipment working can help prevent these incidents.
Get a backup printer
Get a backup printer, even if it’s just a cheap $100 inkjet printer. When your main printer goes down, plug in your backup and let employees know they need to connect to that specific printer until further notice. Your employees will notice that you took the time to provide a temporary solution rather than letting them hang. This diligence will make them feel good about the company they work for. - A drain in the kitchen that’s constantly clogging. When you provide employees with access to a kitchen in the office, it’s important to keep it well maintained. Your employees won’t stop using the kitchen just because the sink is filling up with water. They’ll still rinse their dishes in the sink, and any food that escapes will just make the clog worse.
A clogged drain is inevitable when you have a kitchen. Sometimes employees put stuff down the drain that they shouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the problem. Provide these basic self-serve tools under the sink for your employees (and you) to use in this type of situation. A simple plunger and drain auger are often enough to loosen minor clogs.
3. Don’t focus heavily on motivation – focus on inspiration
Developing high employee morale requires more than motivating people to do their jobs. If an employee isn’t connected to their role in the company, and if they don’t meet their tasks with the commitment to do their best, motivation will always be short-lived.
“Employees who feel like their work creates positive impact are more likely to feel fulfilled, promote their company and stay on the job longer,” The Guardian reports. “Studies have shown that inspired employees are almost three times more productive than dissatisfied employees.”
Rather than trying to motivate employees with raises and promotions, find out what you can do to make their work more fulfilling. This requires a personal conversation, not an email. Since it shows them you care, talking with your staff one-on-one on a regular basis is one of the most powerful ways to boost morale.
