Start the year right: 5 ways to boost morale in the workplace

January is the perfect time of year to implement new ideas, set goals, and get clear on what you want to improve and achieve. As you focus on improving your personal life and habits, don’t forget to create a plan for improving workplace productivity, too. 

In the aftermath of post-holiday festivities and the dreariness of Canadian winters, the early months of the year are prime-time for catching ‘the blues’ – employers should be planning to offset this slump and keep morale high, by assessing their culture and creating a strategy to keep employees feel good and productive, all year long. 

 Use these tips as a starting point and apply them in a way that makes sense for your business. 

1.     Talk to your employees one-on-one. Nothings says “I hear you” more than taking the time to sit with each employee and solicit their feedback. Set up quick, informal touchpoints designed solely to give them centre-stage and speak openly about any challenges, wins or ideas for improvement. The key here is to keep it light – a simple “How are things going?” or “Is there anything you need to help you do your job better?” can work wonders. If talking to each employee isn’t feasible, or there’s any concern people may be too intimidated to be honest, send out a few key questions and provide a drop-box for each employee to submit their feedback anonymously. The most important part of this exercise, however, is to act on the information you receive. Genuinely listen, then address and improve the greatest areas of concern. 

2.     Communicate often. Keeping employees informed is one of the best ways to boost morale – even when the news isn’t great. That’s right, people would rather feel included and trusted with the truth, than be left to speculate about company priorities or what’s happening at upper level. Create a communication strategy that includes quarterly (or more) updates and encourage managers to set-up weekly or monthly pulse-checks with their team. Transparency is key to building loyalty.

3.     Set an example. A lot of businesses make the mistake of emulating that management are in a different category and held to different standards. Everyone from the intern to mid or senior level staff will be looking up the ladder for indications on company culture, ethics and potential. The best managers lead, not dictate. They see themselves as part of the team, not above it. The best way to figure out if management is effective, is to take a look at the happiness and productivity of the team. Take stock of the example your leaders are setting and make adjustments where needed.

4.     Create an effective incentive program. What you reward, is what you’ll get more of. Don’t be so focused on the strategy that you forget to notice the results. Incentives can range anywhere from commissions and bonuses to prime parking spots or a coffee card. It doesn’t have to be big, it just has to say, “I noticed your hard work.” Even small things like verbal reinforcement or praise on social media can be powerful, so figure out what makes sense for both the task and your company budget and culture. 

5.     Have fun. Work hard, play hard; right? Once you’ve developed your awesome quarterly strategies and deliverables, set them aside and be present in the process of making it all happen. Plan a few events through the year that allow staff to take their mind off work, get to know one another better, and enjoy the amazing culture you’ve worked so hard to create.  

 Have any tried and true strategies for building morale? Share them below.