Employee Morale Boosters For Tough Times

By Marcia Zidle on May 31, 2011

It’s the small things everyday that can bring down employee morale and it’s the small things everyday that can raise it as well.

When money is tight and raises are non existent or when the heavy work load seems never-ending, managers tend to forget the “basics” of management- that the supervisor’s recognition and appreciation are the key drivers for employee motivation and morale.

Morale Boosters

Here are seven quick, inexpensive things managers can do that will keep workers motivated during tough times.

1. Say thank you.
Show appreciation for good work by baking a batch of cookies for the team or surprising them with pizza,, or sending them flowers, chocolate or a bunch of balloons. It shows your people that you care and appreciate them.

2. Have informal coffee talks.
Pull an entire work team together to openly talk about what’s going on in the world and how it affects business. Encourage employee questions. This decreases negative rumors and also gets employees focused on work rather than on griping.

3. Surprise with spontaneous treats.
Rent an ice cream cart or a popcorn machine. Take coffee and donuts to each person’s work station. How about a package of Lifesavers™ during a stressful time?

4. Offer stress relief activities.
Hire a local massage school to offer free 10-minute chair massages once a week. A distinctive and fun way for a company to convey that it recognizes the rough times and it cares about their staff’s well-being.

5. Support community involvement.
Provide company time for teams of employees to serve dinner at a local shelter, help build houses, adopt a family for a holiday, or collect money for a common charity. It not only serves as a motivator in that people feel they are doing something with a purpose but also creates a positive public image.

6. Make people feel valuable.
Talk with key employees about the types of projects, training, or experiences they would like to have. Times may be tough for people to get jobs, but your best people are also the most marketable. One of the main reasons people leave or are unmotivated is because they don’t feel valued by their manager or company.

7. Free car washes.
Express exterior car washes cost around $5  per wash. That means for $100, you can give 20 employees a shiny car every month. Or have a fund raiser for a community organization  on your parking lot. They bring the people and the supplies and you pay them $5 for each car washed. This tells the employee you appreciate them and tell the community you care.

Management Success Tips:

Sometimes, simple works best.  These seven morale boosters are a great way to create positive energy, develop pride and keep workers motivated during tough times.

Do you want to develop your Management Smarts?