COVID-19 pushed almost every business and organization into adopting remote work models. The companies that had the technology for it did well; however, businesses that could not adapt suffered. The employees also had different opinions. Some loved working from the comfort of their homes, while others missed the structure of an office environment and set time limits.
Now, in the post-pandemic world, most offices are adopting a hybrid work model, allowing a blend of in-office and remote work. Despite being used to this, most employees are still struggling with this new normal, and as a manager, CEO, project head, or HR person, you must keep your employees motivated.
Here are seven ways to boost your team’s morale if they’re working on the hybrid model.
1. Team-Building Activities:
Now, with remote working and hybrid working models, team-building events and activities are the need of the hour. Such activities allow employees to have a chance to know each other better. Your employees must share a strong, healthy working relationship to work together as a perfect team. These can include outdoor fun activities like sports, picnics or quarterly trips to the beach. Employees get to be creative, interact with each other outside the office environment, and make friends when playing among teams and cheering each other up.
Monthly or bi-monthly meet-ups such as dinners or brunches are also a great idea to enhance employee morale. For such purposes, choose the best available event venue for hire on rent, so they can socialize and have fun. Selecting a wonderful venue will show your effort, and they will feel appreciated. This increases productivity by allowing employees to socialize and be creative.
2. Be There for Your Employees:
When some employees work remotely, they might not feel the same level of connection and understanding with team leads as you would get in the office. They might feel left out regarding sudden policy changes or urgent meetings. This way, they can feel out of touch. So it’s crucial to be present for them. You should be on the front line, offering effective leadership communication and being an active listener.
Go beyond “my door is always open.” Designate fixed hours when anyone can call you and discuss anything. Update the remote employees about the decisions, activities, and discussions to keep them in the loop. Have a meeting daily to answer any queries. Giving importance to your workers boosts their morale. If you can’t do it, hire a manager for this job.
3. Create a Work-Life Balance:
The whole point of remote work is to have flexibility in working hours, but if that’s taken away, employee morale drops. Ensure there is a perfect work-life balance. Do not fixate timings, so your employees are always glued to the computer screens and feel even more stressed. Give them the flexibility to manage other life responsibilities with work.
When they complete a laborious task or if you have a busy season at work, encourage them to take their off days. Give them a break. Incentivize their travel plans. Breaks increase productivity and reduce burnout. Employee turnover rates are 25% lower for companies with better work-life balance. All this does not cost you extra and does not decrease employee working hours.
4. Collect Employees’ Feedback:
It is necessary to know what employees have to say about the work environment and business policies. As a leader, you might not get insights about the situation at ground level, so ask them for suggestions. Be open and listen to them so they know their voices are important and are being heard. Apart from annual performance reviews, arrange monthly feedback sessions. Welcome suggestions and get anonymous, honest feedback. Learn from the feedback and act on it.
An active problem-solving approach positively influences employees’ morale and productivity. Disengaged employees cost $450-550 billion in lost productivity to companies in the US. When they know their thoughts and suggestions matter, they perform better.
5. Provide Opportunities for Growth:
Make sure you give incentives to your employees. These are not always related to a job promotion. Give them extra time off as a reward for doing a good job. Give them access to webinars, conferences, courses, and informative books to enhance their professional skills. Invest in training, consulting, mentorship, counseling, and coaching facilities.
Companies that care for employees’ mental health and have a positive work culture significantly reduce turnover rates. Investing in your talented workforce will always benefit you.
Show them that they are doing more than a job, and are developing and growing personally and professionally. Stats show that the retention rate for employees in a mentorship program of a company is 25% higher.
6. Employee Recognition:
Make your employees feel seen by appreciating them. Publicly announce and celebrate their successes. A handwritten note, putting someone in the spotlight, giving testimonials or recommendations on their LinkedIn, etc. are all the little things you can do to make them feel important. These are low-cost but highly effective methods that give them a sense of accomplishment.
These little steps can increase their engagement level, productivity, loyalty to the company, morale, and motivation to do better.
7. Transparent Communication:
Good communication is key to success in everything. As a leader, you should not hide or avoid problems the company or employees face. Be honest and transparent. Keep them in the loop about customer feedback, new products, decisions, and protocols. Do not avoid or prolong any conversation; avoiding issues will only do more damage.
Ask what their issue is, the possible reason behind their weak performance, how you can help, etc., and fix the problem together. Also, keep communication channels open, touch points, and be available. In short, keep them updated about everything. Effective communication boosts morale.
Conclusion:
In today’s hybrid work models, employees lose productivity and motivation, affecting their morale. Several things can contribute to this, such as poor leadership, inability to grow, unclear business goals, and lack of appreciation. For your company’s success, try these seven ways to ensure the success of your business and the teams working behind it.
