Here’s something that almost nobody in management likes to talk about but the simple truth is, in your capacity as the owner of the firm or a member of its upper management team, there are probably things you are doing right now…today, that are having a negative impact on the morale of your employees.
The unfortunate truth is that your own policies may be directly responsible for some level of Quiet Quitting, Coffee Badging, or other undesirable behavior at the office. Here are today’s biggest pain points for most employees. Consider these things to be mindful of, and perhaps make some policy changes if you’re currently doing something that’s hurting company morale.
Not Enough Autonomy
Are you a micro-manager at heart? If so, that fact has probably seeped into most aspects of your company’s culture and it’s not doing morale any favors.
Today’s workers like, and have come to expect a certain degree of autonomy. If you’re not giving it to them, then morale will suffer and eventually, inevitably, you’ll find yourself staring at a higher than normal turnover rate.
Not Enough Recognition (Or No Formal Recognition At All)
Study after study has confirmed that a reward and recognition program is one of the best and most cost-effective methods of improving morale, employee engagement and productivity and reducing turnover rates. If you don’t already have one up and running, you’re leaving money on the table.
It’s not as expensive or as time consuming as you might think. In fact, given the benefits described above, it really can’t be counted as a cost at all. Even better, you don’t have to give extravagant gifts for them to be deeply appreciated and have a positive impact. We have some cost-effective ideas on that front.
Your Remote Work Policy Is Too Strict
Even before the Great Pandemic of 2020, the trend was moving toward more and more workers doing their thing from home, either full time or as a part of some hybrid work scheme that saw them working a day or two in the office, and then the rest of the time at home.
If you’re one of the managers who ordered everybody back to the office when the dust had settled and the Pandemic was firmly in the rearview mirror, at least part of your employees probably aren’t thrilled with that decision.
Up until that point, most American workers didn’t know, or had entirely forgotten what work/life balance even looked like. And then they found out. And the overwhelming majority of them really liked it.
So going back into the office feels like literally taking several steps backwards. That can’t help but hurt morale. Granted not every employee feels this way, some thrive going to the office. But a significant percentage do not.
It is very much in your best interest to be as permissive as you can when it comes to working from home. Yes, you can force the issue. Yes, you can make everyone come back into the office full time, or require them to punch the clock at least four times a week or whatever. Just remember, that’s how the Quiet Quitting and Coffee Bading trends got started, and if you’re taking that approach, both of those things are probably happening at your firm.
It’s not hard to fix any of the problems above, but the first necessary step down that path is to review your current policies and see if you may be causing or contributing to a potential morale crisis.