5 Tips For Improving Company Morale After A Setback

By
Thomas Adams
·

Every now and then, companies face situations that serve as a setback for the overall operations of the business. These unfortunate instances can have an especially negative impact on the morale of your team.

There are a number of different issues that contribute to this effect on your employees. Whether it be a financial shortcoming or failure to achieve major objectives, the morale of your team will certainly shift. A general feeling of despair can be felt while a lack of motivation will be present. This is due to the mindset that has been established as a result of the setback. 

When morale is down across the board, your company does not have the ability to be successful which furthers the force of the original setback and prevents you from leading them to recovery. Unfortunately, many managers in the modern workplace are unaware of how important company morale is and the methods they can implement in order to boost it. There are a variety of efficient strategies that specifically target this subject and aid in improving the circumstances you have found yourself in.

These techniques vary in how they are to be approached and the resources that need to be utilized so that they can function to their greatest extent and work to turn around a negative situation.  It is your responsibility as a manager to develop creative solutions that resolve this problem while staying with the boundaries of what is appropriate and capable for your specific business.

Work to transform the state of mind that is held among your team and begin taking the steps necessary that will provide your employees with the opportunity to get back on track so that you all can accomplish your goals and make the most of your abilities.

Here are 5 tips to help you, as a manager, improve the morale in your workplace:

1. Emphasize Value

One of the best ways to increase morale (that also happens to function as one of the simplest methods) is emphasizing the value that each and every one of your employees adds to the team as a whole. Your staff are the lifeblood of the company and it is crucial that those that work for you understand this. 

Without those who work for the company, regardless of the department they reside within or the specific job they are responsible for completing, there would be no possible way for success overall. These people are the ones who support the company and its goals on their backs with their hard work, passion, and commitment to being part of the team. 

When individual and group work is not being properly recognized by upper management, morale tends to slip due to a general feeling of being unappreciated. Although large rewards such as raises or bonuses are often thought of when trying to achieve this, an effect that is just as significant can be had simply by taking the time to genuinely show your employees that you respect them and have gratitude for the job they complete.

As you progress into the future, commit yourself to establish an environment that consistently proves to individuals and groups that their work is appreciated. When this atmosphere has been developed, you will gradually begin to see a change in morale that encourages each employee to put forth their best effort.

2. Maintain Positivity

Positivity is important within any workplace, however, it is vital within one that has recently experienced a setback. During these situations, it is most likely that the general attitude that is being held by your staff is one that is rooted in negative feelings that can relate directly back to the shortcomings that have been experienced.

From frustration to a lack of motivation, your team will be infusing their everyday work with these aspects of decreased morale. This can be particularly negative due to the detrimental impacts it has on your operations. To combat this issue, you as a manager must initiate the first step to a revival of spirits by fostering a personal attitude that is based completely on positivity.

One specific technique that can be employed is changing your team’s atmosphere in order to adopt a growth mindset. A growth mindset is a method that can be used to individually target mental boundaries that may be prohibiting your employees from overcoming barriers that are present in regards to their job and personal success. This way of thinking entails only looking at the positive side of a negative situation in order to find the ways in which you can improve rather than focusing only on what is holding you back.

Another way to make your office a more positive place is by creating relaxing spaces that can remove an unwanted aura from the air. Examples of this include simple steps such as playing music every now and then to create a comfortable area, developing a snack bar that can function as a safe space to relax, and other unique inclusions that show your employees that you care about positivity.

3. Enhance Teamwork

Every manager should be dedicating themselves to enhancing the sense of team and collaboration between their employees after a setback has occurred. It is important that each staff member feels part of a whole rather than an individual entity. This encourages a mindset where everyone is able to rely on one another and establish an overall trust that ensures their success in the long run.

When a situation has arisen, it can be difficult to bounce back and be put back onto a path that is strengthening the company rather than weakening it. One way to accomplish this is by building your team so that they have exceptional cooperation skills that provide them with the opportunity to work well with one another, target existing problem areas that are prevalent within the company, and develop creative solutions that work to resolve them efficiently.

Often times, tension and stress will see a substantial increase that comes about due to the difficult period being experienced by your business. When this occurs, relationships between employees may quickly become muddled.

You must be proactive in instituting methods that prevent this before it is too late and your team becomes distracted from the ultimate goal. This can be done by way of creative initiatives that bring those within the company together so that trust and bonding can be strengthened.

Company outings such as small retreats or events such as escape rooms are fun, interesting ways that create memories for your employees while simultaneously improving the connection that they have with each other. These types of events enhance creative problem-solving skills in a distinct way that can further contribute to the overall strength of your staff.

Another way to achieve this goal is by giving your employees the time to become more personal with one another by way of genuine conversations that allow everyone to get to know each other on a deeper level.

4. Incorporate Fun

Although it may not seem like it, having fun within the workplace is a great way to improve your professional operations because of its specific impact as a powerful company morale booster. Exciting activities can be incorporated every now and then into your workday to enhance your team’s mood without having to experience a decline in productivity for that period.

During these setbacks, your employees want to know that you truly care about them and are dedicated to their well being. Infusing fun aspects into their day can accomplish this goal directly. There are many simple steps that can be taken to make your work environment a more enjoyable and inviting place where opportunities for occasional relaxation can be had. 

More passive options include installing features around the office such as a dartboard, pool table, or recreational activities within the break room that function as distinct ways to target this. On the other side, you yourself can keep the atmosphere lighthearted by occasionally telling a joke or using other natural, conversational methods that increase interaction with your employees in a manner that isn’t entirely centered around work.

5. Modify Routines

Repetition is mundane and unattractive to employees. When the same actions are being partaken in each day, your team may become unwilling to commit themselves to have a positive attitude and maintaining appropriate motivation in regards to set objectives.

To change this and add variation to your schedule, it is important to modify routines every now and then so that morale can be boosted for each employee.Knowing that each day may be a little different than the last will give them the exact inspiration they need to commit themselves to the job even after a setback.

This is especially beneficial on your part because it can be completed by way of several very simple techniques. Implementing easy changes such as modifying lunch schedules, altering the layout of the office, and adding to the general scenery of your workplace are quick changes that can be made whenever you please so that these negative effects are mitigated.

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