101: Boosting Morale
When times are tough, salary increases are often far and few between. And that can be a real danger to a business because employees may become disenchanted.
Even if they don't leave for another job, they may stop giving their all, or worse, may try to undermine the business.
Here are some tips for improving morale without a big budget for raises.
Think symbolic. If you don't have the cash for a bonus or raise, think of the ways you can tell your employees they're doing a good job that would impact them on an emotional level. Thank-you notes, letters, complimentary words in private or at a company meeting are all small gestures that go a long way, according to the website topresults.com.
These sorts of small rewards, when given in a serious and heartfelt way, can have a bigger impact than you might imagine.
Evaluate the schedule. Balancing work and home life is a huge issue for just about everyone. So an employer that provides extra time off can win major brownie points with employees, according to K. Habib Khan, chief academic officer and acting dean of the business school at Stratford University. Stratford recently released a list of ways employers can say "thank you" to staff.
"Even if it is just one or two days out of the year, [the time off] will be appreciated," he says.
Flexible scheduling is also a small perk that can go a long way. Allowing employees to work four 10-hour days per week or work one day per week from home may buy you some major bonus points with staff.
Education. Hard workers are proud of what they do and want to do it better. For your best teams, think about offering training opportunities rather than silly parties and vending machines.
According to an article on CIO.com, there are some cheap ways to get your employees added training, including through the federal government.
The Department of Labor offers training grants and that can help supplement your company's cost. Community colleges and some universities may also offer some cost-effective training opportunities.
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