4 Ways Small Businesses Can Keep Employee Morale High
A company that is just starting to expand might find itself in the position of having to hire new employees or overburden existing employees with additional workload. In such a situation, there are several key factors that are presenting the risk for lowered employee morale: Uncertainty about the future of the company (if the business is a startup). Interaction between new employees and existing employees. And the likelihood of giving employees more than they can handle initially. With that said, here are four ways any small business can keep their employees satisfied and motivated:
1. Give Constructive Criticism, Not Harsh Lectures
If you’ve ever heard the saying: “It’s not what you say, it’s how you say it,” you know that it certainly applies in the workplace. Company owners need to ensure that managerial staff aren’t being too harsh on employees with drawn out lectures and belittling comments. Such administrative behavior only serves to drive a wedge of dislike between the employee and the manager. Instead, supervisors should be trained to give constructive criticism in a friendly and useful manner by complimenting the employee on their strengths as well as addressing their weaknesses.
2. Practice Leniency When Reasonably Possible
Every business needs rules. However, being unreasonably demanding of employees is a surefire way to make your rules seem like mandates of the Gestapo. Nobody wants to feel like they’re working for a slave master, even if they are being paid. Thus, if an employee falls slightly short of expectations but still does a good job, don’t act overly upset or rude about it. At the same time, ongoing shortcomings should not be allowed after a certain point, so there’s a balance between being reasonable and being a push over.
3. Use Employee Surveys
Employee surveys can give you a good idea of how your employees feel about your management and the company’s operations. Fortunately, you won’t have to waste your time formulating a survey or questionnaire, as there are already plenty of solutions available. For example, Insight Link surveys cover every aspect of employee satisfaction and provide an ideal method of gathering useful feedback.
4. Invest Time In Employee Training
Many new employees can lose morale and start to become demotivated if they’re not adequately prepared for the task at hand. Not only will they feel more unsure about their job, their performance will also directly suffer. By providing a detailed orientation and training course, and using tests to ensure that employees are well prepared, you’ll be able to instill confidence in employees.
Put Yourself in the Employees’ Shoes
Finally, try to look at the job from the perspective of an employee. Ask yourself the same questions an employee would be pondering on their first day of the job. Is this job going to be absurdly difficult? Are my managers friendly? Am I going to be trained well enough to do the job without having to ask for help? By understanding concerns like these from the flip side of the coin you’ll be able to keep morale high at all times.
