How to Improve Low Morale in the Workplace

How to Improve Low Morale in the Workplace

Good morale is the all-important not-so-secret ingredient to members of staff working together and achieving their individual and collective objectives. It is, however, not as straightforward as saying to your employees to put a smile on their face and leave all their problems at the door.

Life does not work like that, as much as we wish that to be the case. Employees are human beings, and it is a fact that issues both in and outside the workplace will influence performance. It is the responsibility of management to recognise low morale in the workplace, address the situation and create a positive work environment and culture that boosts morale.

What is Low Employee Morale?

Low employee morale is when members of staff become disengaged through feeling low, often as a result of stress. It may be caused directly by issues at work (tight deadlines, conflict or feeling uninspired etc…), as well as by issues outside of the workplace (problems at home, care responsibilities or mental health problems etc…).

There are a wide variety of causes behind low morale, so sitting down and talking to any employee(s) displaying signs of suffering from low morale (either through their behaviour and/or performance) is a good step to take. If low morale is left undealt with, there is a real danger of the issue spreading across the team which can have a potentially devastating effect on the commercial performance of the business.

How to Improve Low Morale in the Workplace

Improving low morale at the first sign of it is a must. More often than not, understanding what the employee is looking for will help you to address low morale as the business can then tailor an approach. Many employees suffer from low morale because they feel as though they are not being listened to and/or receiving feedback from their employer.

Recognition is a proven means of keeping employees motivated and engaged with their role, as well as asking for feedback where relevant. This instils a positive culture within the company where employees feel valued by their employer.

Employees react well to incentives offered by the business, and not just monetary benefits, either. This can range from the prospect of career growth when employees can clearly see a road to progression, to small benefits like company lunches and leaving an hour early on a Friday. 

Communication

Open communication is key for harnessing good morale in the workplace. Share good news stories and don’t feel as though that all communication from management has to be highly formal…don’t be afraid to laugh! Positive relationships make for an upbeat working environment which is highly beneficial to morale and productivity.

When management is open with their employees, employees will be more likely to feel comfortable in coming to them with any issues. When there is a figurative wall between employer and employee, this is when issues begin to arise and simple, rectifiable matters fester into something greater. 

That doesn’t necessarily mean that an employer and employee should be best friends, but it means that both parties should at least be comfortable in each other’s company. Ensuring that there is a level of trust boosts morale, because when employees don’t feel as though they can trust people in senior positions, that is when things begin to fall down.

Help Employees

When employees, especially those with otherwise unblemished track records, display poor performance and/or negative behaviour, this could just be a cry for help. The employer should hold an open and honest discussion with the employee in question in a private setting and ask if there is anything that the company can do to assist.

In this instance, the superior should not be overly pushy or judgemental. You never really know what someone is dealing with outside of the workplace, so allow them to open up in their own time and reassure them that anything they divulge will be treated with complete and utter confidentiality – shared strictly on a need-to-know basis. It could be the case that issues outside of the workplace have begun to have an effect, possibly causing employee absenteeism or presenteeism.

By providing employees with the resources they need, as well as by instilling a culture where members of staff feel as though they have a voice, this will go a long way to improving low morale in the workplace.