As the head of your company, you should know that your hard work, determination, and vision have managed to get you this far. But you didn’t achieve that alone; your employees were there with you every step of the way, and it is high time for you to give them what they deserve.
Imagine yourself as an employee in a toxic work environment, where your valuable contribution to the business’s success isn’t appreciated and your only motivation to keep working is the monetary incentive. At some point, that kind of job will become exhausting and you’ll decide to leave for good.
But if you were working in an employee-centric company that knows how to take care of its people, you might be more willing to stay even if the workload is demanding. This is because you feel that your hard work is paying off and your superiors are going out of their way to show that you are valued.
It may be difficult to put yourself in your employees’ shoes, but it’s necessary so that you can understand their points of view. Don’t wait until your employees start handing off their two weeks’ notice before you start prioritizing their needs and appreciating all their contributions to your company. In fact, here are three ways for you to boost employee morale:
Praise and Assist Instead of Shaming
Nobody learns better by being publicly shamed and chastised for making a mistake. Your employees are human, just like you, and they are allowed to make mistakes. Of course, how they bounce back afterward is what matters the most, but that doesn’t mean that shaming them is the right way to go.
If anything, you should take that as a sign to ask if they’re struggling with the task or if there’s anything you can do to help them accomplish their duty. As the boss, you should try to understand that your employees could be dealing with things that you are unaware of, so give them the benefit of the doubt.
And if your employees do something that warrants praise or commendation, don’t be ashamed to give it. Constant praise can boost employee morale and urge them to be more productive and work harder to achieve their goals. Learn how to establish better professional relationships with your employees because that can show that you actually care about their well-being.
Create a Recharge Room at the Office
You have to keep in mind that your employees are not robots who can work tirelessly without ample breaks. After all, they are only human, and they’re allowed to pause to breathe or clear their minds for a few minutes in the middle of work. Plus, doing so might even help them be more productive and efficient.
But that can be difficult to do if your employees have nowhere to go for rest inside the office. To address this, what you can do is create a recharge room for your employees. This could be a simple stock or vacant room that you turn into a rest area, and it could also be an entirely new space.
Recharge rooms are meant for people who need to take a break from their work, even if it’s only for a few minutes. In this room, they could recharge themselves away from their desks to breathe or their computer screens to soothe their eyes from the prolonged screen time. Or they could play games with their co-workers during breaks to relieve their stress.
Treat Them with Spontaneous Surprises
Lastly, you could make some room in your office budget to treat your employees and thank them for all their hard work. This could be a simple coffee and donut treat that you do from time to time so that your employees who can’t have breakfast before work can work inside the office.
A company lunch out can also be a good way to let your employees know that you appreciate all their contributions to the success of your business. But if you’re feeling particularly luxurious, you can rent a boat for a dinner cruise to celebrate a momentous occasion with your employees.
It’s understandable if you can’t hold events like these for your employees all the time, but it’s the mere thought that counts. By showing your employees that you are willing to go out of your way to make them feel appreciated and valued, you strengthen the existing bonds between you.
Not many bosses take the time to even utter praise toward the direction of their employees when they deserve it, so know that all your efforts to be a better boss are appreciated. You don’t have to become best friends with your employees or spoil them with surprises; treat them how you want to be treated and work your way from there.
