1. Boost Your Employee Morale
Posted on January 30, 2012 by Maya Pillai
“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something
inside them was superior to circumstance.” – Bruce Barton (American Author and Politician)
If you want to put in place an effective retention strategy, it is mandatory that you do something
to boost your employee’s morale. It is a fact that if the morale is poor and if your employees
dread coming to work, they are unlikely to stick around for long. This in turn will reduce the
productivity and the profits of your organization. With the economic slowdown, many small
business owners are not able to give a raise to their employees; instead there is a hike in their
responsibilities. The morale of the employees will hit the bottom when such a situation arises. As
a small business owner, what steps can you take to boost the morale of your employees?
© 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.

2. How can you Improve Employee Morale in your Organization
Listen to your employees – When you notice that the productivity of the organization is
showing a downward slope, do not hesitate to talk to your staff. When the owner of the
firm takes some time to speak with his employees, it will make them feel that they have
someone who will listen to their woes. ―Acknowledge the stresses and circumstances that
your employees are feeling,‖ says Arlene Vernon, president of HRx Inc, an Eden Prairie,
Minn.-based HR consultancy. This is an important way to improve the morale of your
employees. When you chat with your staff, you will get the gist of the problems they are
facing, whether it’s if they are happy with their job to the training required.
Appreciate and celebrate their achievements and accomplishments – Appreciating an
employee when he accomplishes something is a number one motivator. When your
employees put in the extra effort to go an extra mile to accomplish the task, be graceful
enough to appreciate them and arrange a small celebration. A raise in salary is not all that
matters, small events such as appreciation and celebration shows that you care for them.
Make time for one-on-one conversations – Whether it is a recession or not, it is
advisable that business owners have a one-on-one chat with its staff. This will help you
understand the needs of your employees. Many owners are reluctant to do this because
they fear they will not be able to satisfy their employees. One-on-one conversations are
also important when an employee wishes to leave the company. An honest discussion
before he or she leaves will give you an understanding to why he or she is quitting. You
can use this knowledge to prevent other staff members from quitting.
Avoid employee burnouts – Do not overload your employees with too much work. One
of the problems faced by many small firms is that when one of the employees leave, his
work is handed over to his co-workers. The boss or manager doesn’t even bother to find
out whether the other person is able to do the work or not. This will lead to a certain
degree of job dissatisfaction. Therefore, the quality and productivity of work will
decrease. Owners instead should step up and find out the whether a particular job
description will fit a particular employee before handing him the task. ―Evaluate your
© 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.

3. expectations so you’re not burning out your employees — and at the same time not
compensating them for it,‖ says Arlene Vernon.
Do not forget to have fun – To break the monotony of work, encourage team building
exercises and other games once in a while. Organize a potluck party on the last working
day of the week once a month. Many employees love the idea of showcasing their
cooking skills. Think about arranging a get together on holiday’s or ask your employees
to work at a charitable event and later take them out for lunch or dinner. This is one way
to create a bond between you and your employees.
Allow the employees to pursue the project they’re passionate about – Grant your
employees with a project they would be passionate about. This will surely energize and
boost the morale of any employee. You can set fixed hours on certain days where an
employee can work on his personal project and at the end of the month they can
showcase their project(s) in a presentation.
Arrange for training and development programs – One of the reasons many
employees leave a firm is due to inadequate professional training and lack of
development. You can arrange for training sessions with experts and seasoned veterans
once in a while. Another way to boost the employee morale is pay the employee to attend
a local trade conference.
Give small perks – Perks need not always be monetary. Giving your employees the
provisions to work from home a couple of times a month or giving them flexible times
will have a big personal impact. Instead of giving a $100 bonus, arrange for a fine dinner
© 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.

4. for your employee and his significant other at a local restaurant. This would be well
appreciated and something for him to brag about.
An employer has to be transparent and keep his staff in the loop. This will give them an idea
about what’s happening in their firm. Genuine interest and concern for your employees will
increase the productivity and profits of your business.
Flickr image by Forest Service – Northern Region
© 2011 Apptivo Inc. All rights reserved.