Ah, to love where you work . . . few things in life compare! And what you do for a living may not matter that much. It doesn’t have to be your dream job for you to scurry off happily to work every day, coffee in hand and smile on face. If you work for someone who creates a life-giving workspace, your attitude and outlook will show it!
Companies that value their employees should learn a thing or two about boosting workplace morale. Who wants to watch zombie-esque employees file in each day? Nobody. That’s why it’s crucial to keep the team energized—despite the endless reports and spreadsheets they stare at all day.
HERE ARE FIVE WORKPLACE MORALE BOOSTERS:
1. Create Space for Personal Interests.
If the VP of Marketing proudly pinned her basset hound’s “Best in Show” ribbon to her blazer, would office productivity stop? Or if the guys in human resources showed off their summer BBQ skills in the parking lot, would coworkers take offense? Not a chance!
Companies are run by humans, not robots. Employees don’t go to sleep under their desks, only to wake up and start over the next day. They go home to families and hobbies, interests they’d love to share with fellow coworkers. Why not set aside one day per week, perhaps a “Youday Tuesday,” where employees take turns showing off their cooking, painting, or hip hop skills.
2. Volunteer as a Team.
Few things strengthen bonds in the workplace like shared experiences. And when those experiences center around helping folks in need, a newfound sense of community is felt among coworkers—and meaningful friendships begin to form.
Whether your team works together to revitalize a neighborhood through Habitat for Humanity, or hands out hot meals at a local food pantry, lives will be impacted. In fact, an engagement study by Cone Research discovered that 74 percent of employees find greater career fulfillment when they’re given volunteer opportunities. So, get out there, folks!
3. Plan Lunch and Learns.
Whether it’s to get feedback on a project or exchange ideas on creative ways to improve customer service, Lunch and Learns boost morale! They’re a pressure- and performance-free way to meet new people and (hopefully) get a free lunch.
Did you know that Goomi specializes in Lunch and Learns? You provide the lunch; we provide the learning! This less formal approach is an easy way to develop and motivate employees—and can take place anywhere, anytime. Sessions may cover issues such as the importance of resilience in the workplace, sleep, exercise injury, meditation, and taking care of your heart. Such sessions are necessary to help your team lead healthy, happy, balanced lives.
4. Celebrate Failure.
Organizations have come a long way in their views on failure. Because failure is often the springboard for all-things brilliant and successful, big flops aren’t so taboo anymore. Corporations are beginning to reward failure—even celebrate it! And as employees are given freedom to fail, they’ll take more risks, which can turn a stagnant company into one of innovation.
5. Ditch the Morale Buster.
For every 20 employees who are happy and fulfilled, there’s always one employee who is unhappy and unfulfilled. They drain the life out of every meeting, every office email, and every brainstorm session. Why are such people still at your company?
Their lack of pizazz doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be a good fit somewhere else, and it doesn’t mean they’re “bad” at what they do. It may be as simple as not sharing the same vision or values as the rest of the crew. Perhaps what they need is freedom to pursue environments that better align with their personality and work habits.
At Goomi Group, bringing wellness directly to your staff is our specialty! Learn more about how we make fitness, nutrition and self-care simple for you and your office to implement at GoomiGroup.com. We’d love to connect personally to see how we can help bring health to your company culture – just click “Contact Us” to get in touch.
