You might have spent some time working in a negative environment. In an office where the manager shouts to get things done. Where the workforce has more fear than respect. Where no one feels comfortable expressing their ideas and opinions and where everyone is eager to clock off and leave at the end of the day. Many managers believe that this is the best way to get things done, but for the most part, they’re wrong, they’ve just forgotten, or never known a different way.
In this kind of working environment, it’s hard to be productive and work to your best.
If people don’t enjoy work, they won’t go the extra mile or offer to work over time.
They won’t be loyal, and they’ll be ready to leave as soon as a new opportunity crops up.
You’ll never have a hardworking team that has the chance to gel together. If your staff aren’t comfortable, they won’t bring new ideas to the table and while you might think that you can go it alone, having ideas from others is never a bad thing.
Having a positive atmosphere in your office can mean that your team is loyal and hardworking. They are eager to contribute and excited about putting their ideas forward. They go the extra mile, and they enjoy their work. But, even if you know the benefits and go out of your way to try to create this kind of positive environment, there might be times when the mood drops. When this happens, it’s essential to find ways to restore the happy mood as quickly as possible. Here are some of the things that you can do.
Find the Cause
Sometimes, the reason for the drop in morale will be obvious. Perhaps a popular team member has left, or you’ve just been through a particularly busy time. But, it’s not always as clear. If the mood as dropped suddenly, and you can tell that something is wrong, but the cause is not clear, take your time to speak to your staff. Just make sure you are prepared for some honest feedback before you ask.
Clean Up
A messy office can hurt the mood. It can slow people down and decrease morale. A dark and stuffy workspace can have the same effect.
So, clear things up. Hire a Steamaster to clean up your floors, paint the walls a light colour and maximise natural light. You might also want to add some plants and colourful accessories to cheer everyone up. If you can afford it and don’t already, consider getting a cleaner in to brighten things up and make everyone else life easier.
Plan an Event
Work isn’t always fun, nor is it always interesting. Going through the motions and doing the same things every day can get boring sometimes. Especially if you’ve all been working hard and there hasn’t been enough time to chat and have fun. When this happens, it’s only natural for morale to drop and the mood to slide.
Planning a team event or office party can be a fantastic way to give everyone something to get excited about, to remind them of why they enjoy working with you, and to give everyone a boost. A family day out or BBQ can be great, or if your workforce is a little younger, perhaps a fun night out. If you want to get more out of your event, consider making it a networking opportunity.
Hold Staff Appraisals
When you are doing the same thing every day, it’s easy to get lost. To forget what you love about your job and to lose track of what you are aiming for. When your staff don’t have clear goals and targets to work towards, they can start merely going through the motions instead of working with enthusiasm.
Staff appraisals are often ignored. We’ve all got a lot going on, and it’s easy to leave things as they are as long as things seem to be going well. Only pulling your team members in for a chat when something is wrong. But, having a quick conversation, setting goals and targets and assessing how things are going can help to get everyone back on track and give them their passion back.
Encourage Ideas
If you shut people down as soon as they make suggestions, they’ll quickly stop doing it. If you want them happy and enthusiastic, encourage and support their ideas, even when you don’t necessarily agree. Keep things open and honest, and everyone will be happier.
