A vital ingredient of any successful business is its people. So it stands to reason that good team morale is high on the list of “must haves”. It becomes especially important if your business is going through difficult times. And this doesn’t always mean “hard times”.
Difficult times come in many shapes and sizes. The cause could be cashflow restrictions or a downturn in business. Or the difficulty could 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. You’ll want to keep a close watch on the morale in your business workplace. the instant you recognise there’s a problem, it’s time to take stand.
7 Ways To Keep Team Morale Right Where You Want It
1. Keep in tune
Maintain an open door policy. Make it clear your team is always welcome to raise concerns and ask questions. Invite and be open to feedback from them.
Don’t forget 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. Communicate Often
Share information with your employees – not only 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 will build trust. It will also increase your team’s engagement and boost motivation on a day to day basis.
3. Be Transparent
Don’t attempt to hide problems or avoid conversations, even when team morale is low. Transparency is everything. Your employees will respect your honesty while you work together to fix things.
4. Watch Out For Conflict
Address any conflict in your business fast, and fix it fast. Ensure that when you resolve the conflict you address the problem, not just the symptom. Otherwise you run the risk of putting a band-aid on an issue that will raise its ugly head again. When this happens it’s often larger and more destructive than the first time.
5. Be Aware Of Burnout
Pay attention to the needs and workloads of your team members. In particular the most productive ones 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 think about bringing in temporary help to handle the current overload.
6. Take Care Of Aspirations
You might not be in a position right now to make promises about raises or promotions. This should not stop you talking to your team about their career paths. Taking on different responsibilities may interest them. They may like to pursue different training or educational opportunities. You could send them on a course or conference to better their professional skills.
You may not be able to deliver on everything on their wish list right now. But you can assure them of some things. Let them know you’ll be looking to make their roles more rewarding as the business outlook improves.
7. Recognise And Acknowledge
Take every opportunity to acknowledge your employees. Regular, positive recognition will help your team feel appreciated. They’ll be more engaged, be more loyal to your company and have a higher morale.
One of the best things you can do for your team is to embrace positive changes before low morale hits.
Any of the 7 steps above will ensure you’re well on the way to maintaining an uplifting morale in your business .. and well on the way to coming through your “difficult” phase – on top!