4 Ways to show team appreciation and boost productivity

In today's fast-paced and demanding work environment, it's not uncommon for worker morale to take a hit. When team morale is down, it can have a detrimental effect on the overall atmosphere and productivity within an organization.

There are several reasons why worker morale may be low. First, lack of recognition and appreciation for their hard work can leave employees feeling undervalued and disengaged. Second, when employees don't understand how their individual contributions align with the company's vision and objectives, it can lead to a sense of purposelessness and decreased motivation. Lastly, a lack of opportunities for personal growth and development can leave employees feeling stagnant and unfulfilled. It's crucial for employers to address these issues and implement strategies to boost worker morale and create a positive work environment.

When morale is low, it’s not long before performance and productivity suffer.

Showing appreciation to your team is important; doing it in a meaningful way is even more important - just ask social media. Skip the free pizza, and consider these four ways to boost morale (and productivity): 

• Celebrate your employees. Employee spirit is an important aspect of company culture and contributes significantly to your organization’s success. So why not show your team how much you appreciate them by organizing a team outing - like a team dinner, interactive experience, or sports event. Say a few words about how each employee contributes to the team’s success to show them how much you value their work individually and as a cohesive team.
• Challenge your team to enhance their performance. In her article titled “You Can Boost Employee Morale” for The Balance, Susan M. Heathfield highlights how important it is for employees to share in their leadership’s vision for the company. Discuss with your team how their tasks and objectives contribute to this vision to get them excited about their work and the company again. Then challenge them to come up with better, more effective ways to reach their goals. Have them break down each goal into smaller goals and set milestones to measure progress.
• Select an office charity. As Nicole Fallon Taylor explains in “5 Unique Ways to Raise Employee Morale” for Business News Daily, many workers value social responsibility and want to give back. You can support them by asking the team to choose an office charity and giving them paid time off (PTO) to volunteer for it each week or month.
• Throw a party. Sometimes, getting the team together to have fun can be the most effective way to boost morale. Just make sure that no one is too swamped with work to celebrate—if necessary, extend deadlines to give your employees more bandwidth.

Boosting employee spirit is good for engagement, motivation, performance, and retention. And while these four strategies are highly effective, you can always put your own spin on them to create spirit-boosting tactics that work effectively year-round.

Sources:

https://www.thebalance.com/you-can-boost-employee-morale-1918107

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9324-improve-employee-morale.html