Team morale
Are you keeping an eye on your team's morale?
Staff morale is a vital ingredient of any successful business. If your business is going through difficult times it becomes of paramount importance - and don’t be fooled into thinking this just means hard times. Difficult times come in many shapes and sizes. The difficulty could be caused by cashflow restrictions or a downturn in business, or the difficulty could equally be of the opposite kind – more business than you’re geared up to cope with.
Either way, there’ll be a fall-out on your team and you’ll want to keep a close watch on the morale in your business workplace.
Here are 5 easy ways to help ensure morale is maintained right where you want it to be :
1. Monitor the mood
A morale problem is impossible to fix if you don’t know about it. Maintain an open door policy. Make it clear your team is always welcome to raise concerns and ask questions. But don’t forget that for every team member that comes to you, there are others who are less vocal – they have issues too but aren’t so upfront about expressing them. You can help by being proactive and keeping in tune and in touch with individual employees.
2. Don’t keep information to yourself
It pays to be continuously sharing information with your employees - not just at the weekly staff meeting, but all the time. Tell your team as much as you can, as soon as you can. Keeping your team in the loop with business information as it happens not only builds trust, but will increase your team’s engagement and boost motivation on a day to day basis.
3. Watch out for conflict
Make sure any conflict in your business is addressed fast, and resolved swiftly. Ensure that when you resolve the conflict, that you address the problem, and not just the symptom. Or you run the risk of merely putting a bandaid on an issue that will raise its ugly head again … sometimes larger and more destructively than the first time.
4. Be aware of burnout
Pay attention to the needs and workloads of your team members – particularly the most productive ones as they are apt to suffer from burnout. Are they receiving the support they need from other team members? Or are they carrying most of the burden themselves, and bearing the brunt of the pressure?
If so, redistribute some assignments or consider bringing in interim contractors to help with the current overload.
5. Take care of your employee’s aspirations
Perhaps you’re not in a position right now to make promises regarding raises or promotions, but this should not stop you talking to your team about their career paths. They may be interested in taking on different responsibilities, or perhaps would like to pursue different training or educational opportunities.
If you can’t deliver on everything on their wish list right now, give some assurance that you’ll be looking for ways to make their roles more rewarding as the business outlook improves.
If you can take these 5 simple steps you’re well on the way to maintaining an energizing and uplifting morale in your business .. and well on the way to coming through your “difficult” phase – on top!
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