Supporting the health and well-being of workers is an important aspect of management for any business. Uncertain times can make workers feel uneasy which can lead to lack of productivity, motivation, and low morale. In this post, we provide some ways leaders can bolster employee morale during uncertain times.
Employee morale is an integral part of a business. When team morale is high, everyone is productive, and the mood is uplifting. Workers complete their tasks in time, engage with their colleagues, and help grow business profits. On the other side, when employee morale is low, businesses and their workers can struggle, leading to poor production output and staff resignations.
The last few years has been tough on everyone including businesses and their employees. After more than eighteen months of pandemic-related upheaval, anyone’s mental health can suffer. As businesses continue to adapt, when businesses have adapted to either a hybrid-work arrangement or a permanent work-from-home model the focus on worker morale is high.
The good news is that there are plenty of things leaders can do to ensure their workforce is happy, healthy, and productive. Below we look at five ways leaders can help their workers maintain positive mental health and boost workforce morale.
1. Maintain constant communication
Constant communication is key when managing a hybrid or remote workforce. Isolation and lack of connectivity can be detrimental to a worker’s health, so it’s important that leaders ensure they have a clear communication strategy in place. As people continue to work differently, it is important that they have access to the correct tools and can communicate with their managers and colleagues through video calls, email, and instant messaging.
Being in regular contact is good for employee morale. In fact, statistics indicate that employee satisfaction increases by almost 50 percent when workers connect better with their teams and organizations.
2. Rediscovering joy at work
Company culture is important and maintaining company culture during uncertain times is vital to boost employee morale. While many people are now just getting the opportunity to revisit places and offices, it’s good if people can attend events. Businesses have spent a lot of time last year building company culture and social events for their workforce.
For those who work remotely, leaders can create virtual events where they can communicate and have fun with their colleagues. Virtual parties, exercise classes and creative pursuits are all great ways to find joy and build team culture.
3. Provide mental health supports
Over the last eighteen months, work life and home life has changed for many people and leaders have noticed that these changes can take a toll on their worker’s mental health. A new Lancet study shows how widespread the impact of the pandemic has been on the world’s mental health. Therefore, it’s vital for businesses to focus and provide access to mental health support such as counselling or online health programmes, which can help improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their workers.
4. Providing training opportunities
With new changes to the world of work, leaders have a great opportunity to embrace new technology and provide training for their employees. Providing training or upskilling opportunities is a vital part of any business and key to boosting worker morale. In fact, well-trained, engaged employees translate into higher productivity, increased efficiency, and more innovation. Once a worker is performing well, leaders must provide their workers with the opportunity to continue to build on their skills.
5. Regular check ins
Finally, the easiest way to check on employee morale is to have regular check ins. One to one meetings help both worker and manager know how everyone feels. Scheduling regular team meetings is beneficial for everyone. It’s important that these meetings happen in real-time to allow leaders to see and gauge how their workers are coping. Workers can feel isolated working remotely so it’s crucial that leaders schedule regular video conferences to see how everyone is coping.
Final Thoughts
Over the last year, talking about positive mental health has become a priority for many business leaders. As people continue to embrace the new world of work, it’s vital that leaders continue to find ways to keep their worker’s morale and energy high.
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