Let's cut to the chase: Low employee morale is hurting workers and companies alike. Forbes writes that over 80% of U.S. employees report feeling unrecognized or unappreciated in the workplace. At the same time, the annual quit rate across all companies sits just over 47%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In today's employee-driven labor market, you can't afford to suffer attrition, especially from demoralized workers. So how can you maximize morale to prevent high turnover?
Here are five ways you can get employees engaged and motivated to boost retention:
1. Keep communication consistent and transparent
Setting clear expectations is essential for employees to understand their responsibilities, but what about what they expect from you? Your workers should feel comfortable coming to you with questions, comments and concerns, but effective communication goes beyond an "open door" policy. Step out of your office to deliver recognition for hard work. You can also use stay interviews to gather important feedback on what employees think could use improvement.
2. Orchestrate team-building activities
Strong morale begins with team members building trust, communication and even friendships with each other. After all, you wouldn't want to work with people you don't get along with. Hosting team-building events can be a great way to bring your employees together outside of work-related matters. Not only do these activities promote communication and collaboration, but they can also improve motivation in the workplace.
3. Prioritize employee well-being
It might seem like pushing workers to their limits will maximize productivity, but this approach can quickly lead to burnout that actually harms your business. When employees are able to maintain a healthy work-life balance, they can operate at peak performance for much longer without feeling overwhelmed or stressed. That said, leaders need to facilitate this balance by prioritizing the well-being of their workers, both physically and mentally.
4. Create professional development programs
One of the best ways to boost morale in the workplace is to provide opportunities for professional development. Without a clear path toward promotion or other career steps, employees will likely feel unmotivated to perform or even continue working at your company. Encourage your employees to take on new responsibilities and guide them on their journey of professional growth.
5. Built a positive and constructive company culture
No matter the industry or position, employees need the right environment to thrive. That means companies need to develop a supportive workplace culture that encourages hard work with recognition and rewards. But how can they do this? It all starts from the top down. Company heads need to lead by example, empowering employees to think positively and find solutions to any problem, no matter how frustrating.
At YES Partners, we specialize in finding top executive candidates to lead your company toward success. If you're looking for C-suite talent that can bring a fresh perspective to improve morale and retention, click here to see some of the roles we have already placed.
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