There’s no doubt about it – your company has grown by leaps and bounds. What started as a small one or two person job, has grown into something much more promising. Maybe it happened seemingly overnight, maybe it happened over a period of years – either way, your dream of owning and operating a successful business has now become a reality.
One of the most exciting signs of success is when you are able to afford more help. Adding more people to share in the amount of work you receive means a definite increasing in overall productivity, faster turnaround times, and as a result – a better reputation with your customers or clients.
But with every new and exciting success that you encounter as a new or even seasoned business owner, there are always new and not always as exciting challenges that you will need to overcome to continue to grow and expand.
So what is one of the worst challenges a company can face? Short of experiencing financial woes, having to deal with dwindling morale can prove to be a major productivity crusher for many small and expanding businesses. So how exactly can you ensure morale stays high at your company?
Unfortunately there is no magic spell or secret formula guaranteed to keep your employees completely happy at all times, but there are active measures that you can take in order provide your workers with the best work atmosphere possible.
1. Respect
Can you remember the days before you found success with your business? Can you remember your first ever real job and how nervous you were your first day? Can you remember your least favorite boss? Of course you can.
As it turns out, that age-old Golden Rule that we were all taught as toddlers actually has some real world substance to it. The truth is that nothing good ever comes from treating employees in a way that you, yourself would not like to be treated.
Sometimes on the way up the corporate ladder, it becomes increasingly easy to lose sight of the fact that any work relationship is a partnership above all else. At any point that employee that you have placed so much faith in, can choose to leave your employment if they feel underappreciated, undervalued, disrespected, or if something better comes along. Treat your employees with the respect that they deserve and it will go a long way towards keeping them around for the long haul.
2. Give Praise Where It Is Due
According to a 2013 Business Insider survey, the number one reason why most American’s choose to leave their jobs, is due to a lack of recognition. Now we know that you can’t go around handing out awards every time someone completes a task – but a little extra recognition from time to time couldn’t hurt.
Whether that recognition comes in the form of a raise or simply a heartfelt “Thank you”, is up to you but no one ever likes to feel taken advantage of. Give praise to the employees who deserve it and hold those who are falling short of their goals and expectations accountable.
3. Avoid Office Politics
Who knew the business world could be as difficult to navigate as a high school cafeteria? Cliques and alliances are natural for people to form when thrust into social environments, and whether we want to believe it or not, unless a person is their own business, chances are they will be forced to work with others in a workplace setting.
Often times these alliances can be intimidating to newcomers and prove detrimental to the company in the long run. Seeing politics at play in the workplace tends to discourage employees from going the extra mile in their work in hopes of getting special recognition or a promotion in the future.
Is your company already experiencing the negative effects of low morale? The good news is that it’s never too late to take the steps necessary to reverse the negative trends you may be seeing in your workplace. The key to solving any problems is to first be able to identify them. When in doubt, listening to the voices of your employees is always a great place to start!
This is a guest post by Rob Montgomery
