Greet each morning with a productive, optimistic workforce or a huge absenteeism rate — as an employer, the choice is yours. It’s the level of morale in your office that decides just how efficient your employees are willing to be. Addressing associate’s wants and needs, even if you can’t immediately fulfill them, goes a long way toward raising the production level, and the morale, of your office staff.
Revamp the Morning Huddle
Pep rallies are for high school kids, not mature, responsible adults. According to Forbes, a brief morning huddle actually helps raise morale and increase productivity. But its main purpose is to get everyone on the same page, not to insult your employees’ intelligence. If you’re guilty of requiring employees to participate in goofy skits or ridiculous, lengthy motivational speeches, it’s time to upgrade your morning meeting. It’s one thing to be optimistic and another to be condescending. Respect the 3 Ps: personality, privacy and perspective. Regardless of what the company literature says, it’s not always about the bottom line.
Upgrade the Snack Station
Nothing says appreciation like coffee that’s actually digestible. Keep morale running high at the office by replacing the old 4-cup standard with a shiny, new Keurig from Macy’s and a rack full of K-cups. The investment you’ll make is minimal, especially if you compare prices and bargain shop. Just remember to keep the K-cups flowing, or you could find yourself at the mercy of an office mutiny.
Be Generous
The holidays are not a time for pinching pennies. When your associates do a stellar job, take advantage of once-a-year celebrations to reward them accordingly. Steer clear of junky merchandise like cheap watches or company T-shirts, and opt instead for gift cards to the local grocery chain, paycheck bonuses or even a free turkey or ham. Give a gift that all associates can actually use, rather than just empty corporate Christmas cards, signed by people no one has ever heard of.
Pay Attention to the Details
It’s the little things that count — paper towel dispensers in the bathroom that actually work and vending machines that aren’t continuously breaking down. Go the extra mile to make things nice for the people who toil for you on a daily basis. Supply a box of tissues for every desk and make sure printers don’t run out of ink. Make basic supplies like toilet paper, printer paper and pens easily accessible for employees who run out. Don’t lock up the supplies people need to keep the office productive and running smoothly.
Be Straight With Your Team
When a member of your team comes to you with a request, make sure you’re giving her your undivided attention. If the request is outlandish or simply not feasible, say so outright. Otherwise, consider how best to set about filling it. Leaving an associate dangling in hope when you have no intention of complying with her request is both rude and unprofessional. Be truthful in your dealings with the people who work for you. Playing the avoidance game to avoid confrontation only prolongs the problem. Either the associate is going to eventually call you out on your indecision, or she’s going to form her own silent opinion of your skills — one that’s probably not flattering.
