Managing staff is one of the most difficult things a person can do as each department might have a different energy. People with different personalities thrive in various roles so an outgoing person might be great at sales while a creative person can help with marketing/design. Keeping the overall staff morale high in addition to keeping them as productive as possible is a balance that will take constant proactive effort for management. Small things like offering a weekly lunch that the staff votes on can bring staff closer as well as improve the view of the company in the eyes of certain staff members. The following are tips to help improve overall staff morale while maintaining productivity.
Office Dog/Dogs
An office dog that sports the office colors on their collar or via a dog bandana can bring up morale immensely. Well-trained dogs in the office will reduce stress as well as improve productivity. Taking the office dog for a walk can be a great way to spend a break while mulling over a decision a staff member needs to make. Take the time to consider how an office pet will impact morale as something as fun as a dog in the office can work wonders. Office cats are also an option but dogs don’t require a litterbox in the office.
Work From Home Days/Weeks
A work from home day per week or a few weeks a year can be the perk that people really value. The ability to work from home a few weeks a year allows people to travel without taking PTO or unpaid time. Businesses that have these types of roles available should consider this as it can improve employee retention long term. Working from home permanently can impact the office morale in a positive or negative way depending who is making the transition from in-office to full-time remote employee.
Surprise Lunches Once A Week
Surprise lunches every Friday with preferences incorporated can be a nice touch to end the week. The ability to keep staff in the office for lunch especially on a Friday can reduce those longer lunches that tend to be taken later in the week. Providing lunch might not seem like a big deal but to those millennials with large amounts of student debt this can be a huge perk. Understand that people will even complain about free food so make sure that everyone realizes not all dietary restrictions can be complied with.
Staff Retreats Can Do Wonders
Staff becoming closer makes it far easier to communicate throughout the office. A manager might seem much more approachable after someone sees their true personality outside of the office. Team building exercises can be fun but make sure that staff also has time to enjoy one another’s company. A company paid trip to a resort of something of the like can be a perfect way to show appreciation after a successful year. Foster the team environment with things like company happy hours or parties throughout the year. A company full of friends or people that at least like each other will be more productive than an office full of people that despise each other.
As you can see it usually takes a few small gestures by a company to improve the morale of the staff overall. Take time to evaluate what impacts staff morale negatively to see how this can be remedied!
