Low employee morale is terrible news for businesses. Employees who feel disengaged from work are much less likely to be productive or contribute meaningfully to company goals.

Fortunately, firms and other organizations can improve how the staff feels over time. All it takes is the right approach. 

This post explores several ways to improve employee morale, including various creative options. Here’s what you need to do:

Promote and Support A Work-Life Balance

Nobody should have to work all day, every day. And yet, that’s the pressure some employees feel. They never get a chance to relax and switch off.

Employers should be wary of this type of culture. While it might benefit them in the short term, it leads to burnout, high turnover, and low morale, increasing overall costs.  

Therefore, try actively promoting a work-life balance. Make it a part of your culture. Insist on your people not sending emails on the weekend. Employees should work on a set timetable, not a variable one. 

Offer Chaplains at Work

You could also consider offering chaplains in your organization – people employees can turn to in times of need. Find chaplains who operate independently of your firm and offer a strictly confidential service. Ensure you can provide a diverse group of supportive professionals who complement your team’s needs. Look for chaplaincy agencies with male, female, black, white, and Asian chaplains who match the demographics of your company as closely as possible. 

Be Proactive In Helping Employees Growth

Managers think the statement “my door is always open” is sufficient to facilitate regular communication between staff and senior team members. However, that’s rarely the case. Employees often feel reluctant to come forward if they have issues. 

Therefore, managers should be proactive in their approach. Leading companies now organize committees fully dedicated to supporting employee morale. Firms brainstorm ideas and then implement their plans, benefiting all. 

Get Behind Employee-Initiatives and Programs

Staff can feel like they are fighting a constant uphill battle for recognition in some organizations. No matter how many proposals for change they make, management doesn’t listen. 

Unfortunately, this attitude can lead to low employee morale, causing all the ills described above. Firms become less creative and productive when employees only show up to work for a paycheck. 

Supporting employee-led initiatives, though, can turn the situation around. Staff feels like it has some control over the company and its destiny. And it can implement reform packages to improve its working environment. 

Train All Middle Management In The Value Of Small Gestures

Lastly, firms should train middle managers in the value of small gestures. Little things like: 

• Saying thank you to employees who deliver work on time
• Recognizing the efforts of those who work longer hours
• Celebrating individual and team achievements publicly
• Offering small gifts at seasonal times of the year
• Enshrining hybrid working in the corporate culture

Critically, businesses don’t have to increase pay to compensate employees for increased work stress. Many of the options described above are inexpensive but socially effective. You don’t have to spend a fortune increasing wages to entice workers to stay when they are already happy. 

At Marketplace Chaplains we have extensive experience in improving employee morale by providing you with chaplain services. Contact us today at 1-800-775-7657.