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Exploring Motivation as a Possible Solution for Low Morale
Achieving high employee morale does not always mean that a business needs to crank up its incentive programs or provide higher than average wages. In fact, there are many cost-effective ways to increase motivation sitewide and help teams excel in all required areas. As a team leader, there is a good chance you will play a vital role in employee morale. What are you doing to improve it among your team members actively?
High morale can often fuel motivation because these two are so intertwined. Although, it is vital to make a distinction between the two. While morale is how team members feel when they are at work, motivation is the drive or commitment they are willing to put forward to meet company goals and personal career growth. This is important to understand since a manager may not be able to motivate an employee directly; however, they play a critical role in achieving the proper morale levels.
How Can Motivation Improve Low Morale?
Making a conscious effort to improve low morale will simultaneously have a significant impact on motivation. One of the best ways to improve low morale through motivation is to strengthen the recognition you give employees. Nearly 50% of employees want to hear more feedback from their direct managers, and doing so can simultaneously reduce turnover by as much as 31%. When team members feel valued, turnover can be decreased, and they will be excited to come to work and contribute.
One other way to motivate employees that have low morale is to offer them the flexibility to contribute in their own ways or optimize the effectiveness of their time at work. Some ways to achieve this include implementing flexible work schedules, reducing scheduled commitments, and setting reasonable work hours. These steps can help minimize employee burnout that might be occurring and encourage consistent productivity. Eliminating unproductive time sinks that may be in place can also help ensure that team members can dedicate the appropriate amount of time to their jobs.
Finally, it is essential to give your team members meaningful work. That way, they can find a sense of purpose while on the job. This often plays a significant role in improving mental and emotional stimulation and can directly lead to improved morale and motivation sitewide. There is a good chance that all your employees will be motivated by different things. So, generating a well-rounded plan is critical for success.
Both motivation and morale are important parts of a productive and healthy workplace. The value gained when both aspects are fine-tuned will become apparent immediately. While using the tips above is a fantastic way to get started, working with a performance-based staffing team in Oklahoma might be the missing piece of the puzzle. We have job rotation options that can help eliminate burnout and reduce turnover. If you are interested in learning more, please contact us or find your nearest location to get started!
Exploring Risk Management Programs as a Possible Solution for Low Morale
Many factors in the manufacturing industry can lead to low morale. Perhaps employees feel they are being overworked and not rewarded enough. Maybe team members think they don’t have a voice that matters in the overall scheme of things. No matter the reason for low morale, there is no denying that it is a company killer if it isn’t mitigated whenever possible. Fortunately, many potential causes can be identified and addressed with a robust risk management program.
Most manufacturers don’t realize that low morale may be an issue. To thrive in the constantly changing economic landscape and ensure all opportunities are being explored to their fullest, facilities and the team members they rely on need to be attuned to the goals outlined for each project. It’s up to site managers and company owners to ensure their team members remain confident in their abilities, trained to perform as needed, and secure in their position.
How Can Risk Management Programs Improve Low Morale?
Team members with high morale will often care about the little things throughout the manufacturing process. This means that parts will be of higher quality, and customers will be satisfied with each new production run. Even better, increased employee morale will make worker retention easier for a facility to maintain. But what should be included in a risk management program to ensure that employee morale remains as high as possible?
First, management teams need to be accessible and transparent with their employees. By maintaining an “open-door policy,” employees can quickly discover grievances before they have a chance to spread. For this reason, keeping employees updated on key performance indicators, internal goals, and customer feedback is a good idea. An effective internal communication plan can quickly improve morale with minimal effort.
Second, team members excelling in their target areas should be praised and recognized for a job well done. Studies have shown that employees receiving positive recognition are typically more productive, engaged, and loyal to an employer. They will also generally have fewer work accidents – another positive side-effect of a well-rounded risk management program.
Finally, stress management is essential to a good risk management program to address low morale. Reducing employee stress whenever possible can help create a great company culture and work environment where team members thrive. This also helps ensure employees’ outstanding work/life balance – a critical piece of any successful employment offering in the 21st century.
If you are struggling to source employees that can meet these three key goals, Certified Source can help with our innovative performance-based staffing services.
Exploring Setting, Tracking, and Monitoring Quality and Productivity Goals as a Possible Solution for Low Morale
Did you know that approximately 65% of HR Professionals agree that improving morale and preventing burnout was a top priority in 2021? Following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, it's easy to see why improving workers' mental health and well-being worldwide should be prioritized. But what can be done to actually improve morale and get your manufacturing teams back on track now that things are finally returning to normal?
Your employees are intelligent. If you disagreed, you likely wouldn't have hired them in the first place. If issues are present in your company culture, they will often be the first to know. It is crucial to ensure you are transparent about what is happening in the facility and how you handle it to build trust to counteract this. Only with this psychological building block in place can you start actively making improvements toward improved morale at all levels. In this segment, we will continue to explore this idea to give you some easy ways to start getting your workforce engaged and satisfied with their career by setting, tracking, and monitoring quality and productivity goals.
How Can Setting, Tracking, and Monitoring Quality and Productivity Goals Improve Low Morale?
Following a study in 2019, Glassdoor found that 53% of employees stressed they would stay at a position longer if they felt appreciated by their manager. Employee motivation can develop from various possible sources, including promotions, compensation packages, and extended benefits. But what if you could root out low morale by having defined quality and productivity goals? With this information, you could quickly determine what is causing the root problem and begin to address it with a practical solution.
Many disengaged employees attribute their low morale to not knowing their expectations. As you might imagine, one of the best ways to counteract this is by setting clear goals and expectations for all team members. This approach increases engagement and allows employees to take ownership of their career paths. For the best results, ensure that any target you set for quality and productivity goals is clearly communicated and obtainable for the teams.
While tracking and monitoring quality and productivity goals, it is important to continue recognizing employees achieving them. This simple act can help provide a wellspring of morale that encourages team members to continue hitting and potentially even creating new goals that will improve workflows and external relations with customers.
It is important to note that the goals for one manufacturer will not be the same for another. For this reason, it is hard to give clear-cut examples of what can be tracked and monitored to make the most impact. Our team suggests you dive into your processes and company culture first to determine what changes might make a positive long-term impact. Then formulate a set of goals that will help you achieve them.
Exploring the Development of Quality Teams as a Possible Solution for Low Morale
When building a team, it is imperative to hire people who fit your organization by skill and personality. A team that works cohesively together is a top-notch solution for boosting morale. Constructing a quality team is vital to helping your organization achieve its objectives. One way to do this is by ensuring that your employees feel supported at work and engaged while there.
Although every team goes through its ups and downs, it is possible to implement specific procedures and values to build the company culture. As your team grows and changes with the addition or transfer of different people, having a solid ground for the desired culture can help ease the pains that come with change. When good morale is present, employee satisfaction is high. This also leads to more engagement at work. A lower degree of morale usually equates to employee dissatisfaction. This can lead to burnout, quitting, and an overall strain on the team. There are many ways to build a quality team, and you will see morale rising.
How Can the Development of Quality Teams Eliminate Low Morale?
Before exploring the ways that the development of quality teams can eliminate low morale, it is crucial to define morale. In the workplace, morale can be considered the attitudes, emotions, outlook, and overall satisfaction of employees. Low morale can take hold of a group and spread quickly from person to person.
On the other hand, positive morale can sweep through a group, too, mainly when quality teamwork and value are at play. Regardless, employee morale (high or low) has a significant impact on employees and the business as a whole. When morale is high, the more productive teams seem to be, consequently delivering better results. If you’re hoping to improve morale at your organization, it is wise to focus on team connection and building.
Frequently, the development of quality teams starts at the leadership level. People in higher positions who lead by example are likely to set cues for their employees on acceptable behavior and interactions. As a leader, getting involved in your team’s work by being supportive and working alongside them can go far. It is also critical to lead with empathy. When employees feel seen and supported, morale will undeniably grow. You can also ask for feedback and be transparent along the way. Clear is kind, and communication is vital.
In addition to strong leadership, teams grow together when trust is built. As trust strengthens amongst team members, individuals can see that responsibility is shared and individual empowerment is encouraged. When employees are trusted to make good decisions, they will continue to feel more validated and confident, which will show in their work. It is critical to show recognition and appreciation for large and small tasks and praise individuals and teams. These individual boosts can lead to a cohesive team feel.
Finally, quality teams thrive when employees are encouraged to live a rich life outside work. It is essential to consider the overall well-being of a team, which directly impacts individual morale. Encouraging a positive work-life balance can help ease the strains of burnout. Suggesting regular breaks or extended time off can impact employee productivity and morale. In turn, this also usually leads to higher job satisfaction and job retention.
On the other hand, a few common happenings in organizations can undermine team camaraderie and immediately drop employee morale. For example, if an organization is prone to constant change, this can stress employees and make them feel unstable in their job and team. High turnover rates caused by a lack of a team feel can also contribute to low morale. Most of all, the lack of robust and quality leadership quickly adds to low morale in a team. If communication is unclear or leaders are unkind, you will see a team quickly fall apart.
Employee morale can fluctuate, so it is essential not to take that lightly. People are under a lot of stress for various reasons, sometimes one quick moment from a snapping point. If the workplace, stressful as it may be, is where employees feel seen, connected, and appreciated, they are likely to put in their best work. Additionally, if employees have a positive outlook regarding their team and company, without trying, they can become some of the best recruitment and marketing resources you have! Quality teams are the foundation of strong employee morale. Invest in your people, and you will invest in your company.
Exploring The Enforcement of Attendance and Written Warning Policies as a Possible Solution for Low Morale
Low morale in the workplace can have a significant impact on productivity, overall employee satisfaction, and the success of a business. To address this problem, some employers choose to enforce attendance and written warning policies as a possible solution.
By combining attendance policies and written warnings with more comprehensive strategies, employers can create a more productive and enjoyable work environment for their employees. However, it’s important to remember that these policies should always be applied in a fair and consistent manner in order to ensure that all employees are given the same opportunities to improve their performance and morale.
How Can Enforcing Attendance and Written Warning Policies Help Improve Low Morale?
Attendance policies are a great way to encourage punctuality and help ensure employees are showing up to work on time. Many employers include attendance policies in their employee handbooks that outline the consequences of failing to meet expectations.
For example, if an employee is late more than three times in a one-month period, they may be issued a written warning or even suspended. Although this approach can be effective in curbing tardiness, it’s important to ensure that these policies are fair and consistently applied to all employees.
Written warnings can also be an effective way to address employee concerns that may be contributing to low morale. When an employee receives a written warning, it’s important to ensure that the warning is clear and specific. For example, the warning should specify the behavior that is unacceptable, such as coming to work late or not meeting deadlines, and the consequences that will occur if the behavior continues. This type of written warning can be used to help motivate employees to improve their performance and address any underlying issues that may be contributing to their low morale.
Finally, it’s important to remember that enforcing attendance and written warning policies should always be done in conjunction with other initiatives to address low morale. These policies should not be used as a replacement for other strategies, such as providing employees with additional training or resources, offering incentives for meeting goals, or creating a positive work environment.
Certified Source has developed the Performance-Based System to quickly pinpoint and correct low morale in the workplace. This occurs through the strategic insertion of a performance manager that will work closely with team members to ensure they are avoiding burnout and hitting productivity goals. To learn more, find your nearest location and give us a call!