Employee Morale

Employee morale is related to the satisfaction, outlook, and feelings of well-being an employee has while at work. Employee morale has a direct effect on workplace productivity and can be experienced on an individual level or as a group. For example, an employee may have low morale if he or she has negative experiences with a particular co-worker or job-related task. As a collective group of employees of an organization, morale may be low if layoffs are announced. In some cases, low morale is temporary, but in other cases, it is so persistent that it causes employee turnover.

Increase Employee Morale

Much of employee morale rests in the hands of the employee’s direct supervisor. A supervisor should make sure that all employees know what their role is in the organization and how their work impacts the intended consumers. Employees that feel a part of something positive are more likely to have higher morale. Also, a supervisor who gets to know their staff, communicates well, and knows how to maintain a positive mood, will cultivate higher employee morale.

1. Supervisors should know their staff – Employees have a life outside of work, and the expectation that they will leave work at home is very antiquated. Our work and home lives blend together much more now that we are constantly connected through technology. If an employee seems down and a supervisor cannot pinpoint why it may require a one-on-one conversation to see what is going on. Without prying, a supervisor can gauge if the problem stems from something at home and offer to help. For example, a scheduled shift might solve a big issue with the dropping of children off at school. Getting to know the staff and what makes them tick is not only essential to solving employee morale dilemmas, but it also makes for higher employee engagement.
2. Communication is Key – Supervisors will eventually need to deliver bad news, but it is how this news is delivered that can be the difference between deflating employee morale and keeping it steady. Supervisors that maintain an open line of communication with employees regularly will earn employee’s trust. When the time comes to give bad news, employees are more likely to ride the wave calmly if they trust their supervisor and organization. Supervisors should allow employees to voice their concerns about workplace issues and feel validated.
3. Create a Positive Mood – Meetings do not have to be boring. A meeting is a perfect opportunity to create a positive mood and cultivate collaboration. Start off with an ice breaker that lets employees get to know each other or that addresses concerns employees may have. Putting those issues to rest upfront will allow the rest of the meeting to go on a little more peacefully. On the day to day, create opportunities for employees to work together to solve problems and create new initiatives. Allowing employees to work together toward a common goal promotes trust and better workplace relationships.

Improve Employee Morale with Trakstar Learn

Do the supervisors in your organization need a boost in learning about employee morale? A training program can help supervisors learn how to create collaboration among employees, how to get to know their employees strengths and weakness, and how to create a positive mood in the workplace. The Learn learning management system has all of the tools you need to create, manage, and distribute training content. Request a demonstration of the Learn platform.