HOW HR CAN BOOST MORALE DURING TOUGH TIMES
The forecast is grim and as an HR professional, you’re expected to be a change agent as the economy steadily worsens. How do you retain star performers and motivate a workforce that is expecting the axe to fall any day? Enclosed you will find several tips to help boost morale at any time, but particularly during tough times.

Communicate – Quickly and Often. – In the event that you are forced to cut back on expenses and eliminate positions and/or standard activities, communicate the change to employees. It’s always better to communicate first and provide a channel for questions and answers. Head off the rumor mill before it escalates out of control.

Be honest in your communications. If further reductions are anticipated, let people know that there is a possibility for further reductions. You can communicate this message professionally and avoid causing panic at the same time. Even if you can’t articulate the “What” and “When” of further reductions, you’re one step ahead of the game because people already understand the “Why”. No company is immune to our current economy.

Ensure that employees have channels of communication available to them and are able to ask questions. You can have a “Town Hall” type meeting which allows for questions, or set up a separate email box as a central sounding board and repository for questions and responses. This may sound a little obvious however, the channels of communication are only effective if responses are provided in a timely fashion. Even if you don’t have an answer, let people know that. Any response is better than no response.

Walk the floors. People will look to you for support and reassurance. People get nervous when the Human Resources Department goes quiet. Get out there. Articulate what the firm is doing to maintain financially healthy without falling into the trap of commiserating over how gloomy the economy is.

Walk the talk. If the company has had severe cutbacks, don’t house out-of-town candidates at the Ritz Carlton or take candidates out for lunch at Morton’s Steakhouse. Again, people (including candidates) understand the “Why” behind these changes. You can still make a good impression on recruits without being exorbitant in your hiring efforts. Send the message that we’re all in this together. The rules do apply to all levels within the organization. Everyone needs to make changes.

Communicate with your peers. Network within your local professional memberships or other informal groups to learn how others are dealing with changes to their business. Network on behalf of any of your displaced employees. In the event that you do experience layoffs, request an electronic copy of each person’s resume before they leave so that you can forward on his/her behalf if you learn of a good opportunity. It is advisable to first get his/her permission in writing first. A simple email authorization will suffice. Ensure your professional network of peer’s contact information is current and includes accurate email information.

Educate. The “Do More With Less” approach to business provides opportunities for cross training. Employees will understand that learning new skills makes each individual more marketable as well as demonstrates flexibility.

Apply the Buddy System to Webinars. Stretch your educational budget and maximize training potential by inviting other department managers to sit in on appropriate Webinars. You can also share the training opportunity and strengthen your network ties by inviting other members of your professional network and peers.

Plan for the Future. Even if you have had to reduce your funding for tuition assistance or training, demonstrate your employer’s commitment to both education and your workforce by making a 529 “Scholarship” contribution available to the children of your employees. For little cost, and maximum public relation points, your company can contribute to educational funds during times when many employees cannot afford to save money for their own children’s higher education. This is another low cost method to not only boost morale, but build long-term commitments from your employees.

Keep your organizational skills fresh. Price Pritchett, Ph.D. has a series of simple, effective quick reads regarding dealing with organizational change. Not only do they provide tips for managers, they also provide great lessons to help employees cope with organizational change.

Reward and Recognize. Provide as many low-cost/no-cost morale boosters as you can to keep moods positive. For those companies with a professional or business casual dress code, consider relaxing the requirements on Fridays to include jeans.

Provide rewards for increased productivity, quality or attendance such as a day off with pay, pizza party or concierge service. Although originally penned in 1994, Bob Nelson’s book entitled “1001 Ways to Reward Employees” is still a classic and in keeping with our theme of low-cost/no-cost ideas, can be found at the library.

Learn from others. Set up a separate suggestion box or email address for employees to share their tips on reducing costs at home or work and highlight these tips in your company newsletter. Check with your EAP provider to see if your contract includes free seminars or training sessions. If so, schedule a session on Financial Management or Budgeting and make available to your employees.

Maintain Physical and Mental Health. First things first – take care of yourself. HR professionals bear the brunt of the emotional impact that layoffs cause. Not only do you need to console both those being laid off and those workers that remain, you have to remain a company cheerleader even when you’re concerned about your own job security. Take care of yourself so that you can take care of others.

Put your skills to good use. Offer a professional resume review for any displaced employees. Even simple formatting or typographical corrections can make a significant difference to future employers.

Boost employee awareness of your wellness programs, including your EAP plan. Ensure that any contact numbers or website information is well publicized and easily accessible to all employees so that they can maximize these benefits when they need them most. Research your plan benefits. Communicate benefits such as Weight Watcher discounts, smoking cessation classes, blood pressure monitoring or gym membership discounts that may currently be provided through your medical plans. Again, ensure that this information is well publicized and easily accessible.

Blow off Steam. Exercise is a proven method to deal with stress and anxiety. Sponsor contests that get your employees up and moving. Team-based contests such as a “Biggest Loser” type event can really tap into the competitive spirit of some employees. Bring Wii Fit into the workplace for a lunch period that promotes both good health and fun. Speaking of lunch, food is always a great morale booster. Create a healthy team-building opportunity by having a potluck geared towards a theme like “Healthy AND Delicious”. Set up a separate email address so employees can share their favorite healthy recipes.

Promote a sense of community. Internally, even though the budget may have been cut, you can still organize low-cost/no-costs events. If the company can’t pay for a spring picnic, ask employees if they are still interested in getting families together . Even if the company can’t pay for a lavish event, it should be able to afford a park permit for one day. Employees can provide the food in potluck fashion and an employee committee can be organized to handled logistics and games.

Utilize lunch hours to build camaraderie on-site by having a monthly or weekly “Game Day” where employees can bring in their favorite games to play at lunch. After all, healthy competition is still healthy.

Give back to the community. Community-based volunteer events like Habitat for Humanity not only promote a sense of togetherness, they demonstrate the company’s commitment to the very community that supports it. The company doesn’t have to financially sponsor the event, but it can take over the logistics involved for those that are interested in participating.

Use what you’ve got. If your company happens to be housed in a high-rise, take advantage of the views by sponsoring a 4th of July fireworks viewing for employees and their families. Popcorn and ice cream are low-cost snacks that the company can provide for memories that will be lasting.

Bottom line. Don’t be a passive bystander to the worsening economy. Get out there and help re-energize your workforce while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Even little measures can go a long way to improve morale. The economy WILL improve. Don’t you want to be remembered as the company who went above and beyond during difficult times?