Have you ever entered an office and asked yourself how people can even spend ten minutes there, let alone 40 hours a week? have you ever worked in a place where you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach as soon as you walk through the door? How about an office where everyone talks about how much they want to go home or spend half the day gossiping about colleagues who happen to be off that day? Those are all signs of a toxic workplace. In a toxic workplace, office morale is low and productivity is almost non-existent. Luckily, I don’t work in an environment like that, although I know many people who have those issues in their workplaces.

So, what can be done to boost office morale? Often times, people blame management or those in leadership positions for the low morale. However, it is up to the entire team to ensure that morale stays high. Regardless of where you are on the hierarchy, you can set a good example for your colleagues and do your part in boosting morale at your office. You can also take initiative and bring your morale-boosting ideas to your manager.

Here are some things that can be done to boost office morale, which will increase productivity:

1. Zero tolerance for gossip. Gossip and office rumors can ruin the reputation for both the person who is being talked about as well as the person who is starting the rumor. There is no reason to throw your colleagues or your teammates under the bus to make yourself look good. That’s just completely unacceptable and should not be tolerated.
2. Encourage collaboration. In an office environment where working as a cohesive unit is critical to the overall success of the company, it’s crucial that everyone works as a team. New ideas and opportunities for improvement should be heard and discussed without putting down team members who came up with those ideas.
3. Be grateful. It’s very important to be thankful that you have a job. Right now, stable jobs with consistent hours and consistent pay are few and far between so it’s very important to be grateful that you have it. Therefore, do the best job you can do and attempt to inspire your colleagues to do the same. Don’t watch the clock wondering when you get to go home and focus on getting things done.
4. Do charity work as a group. From organizing a fundraising event after work to encouraging everyone to take part in a raffle, doing charity work helps create unity and cohesion. It also allows employees to do something great for the community and giving back always feels good. For example, encourage your staff and colleagues to take part in Run4Dreams.
5. Promote from within. The thought of getting promoted usually inspires employees to bring out the best in themselves. During performance reviews, have a clear explanation as to what the employee must do or not do in order to increase their chances of getting promoted.
6. Encourage having fun. Work should never be about getting chained to your desk for 8 hours a day without a break. Encourage having fun on the job while at the same time getting things done.
7. Emphasize work-life balance. Let’s face it, humans aren’t robots who can work nonstop without any issues or emotions. At one point or another, people experience issues in their personal lives that may impact their work. Therefore, allowing people time off to deal with family matters and having access to counseling services if needed-those are all great benefits that can be offered.
8. Group fitness nights. Hire a subject matter expert to come into your office after work to host group fitness nights or run clinics. This is a great workplace wellness initiative. Getting fit together and encouraging each other to keep going even when the workouts get tough, create a positive work environment.
9. Celebrate employees’ achievements. Find creative ways to acknowledge and celebrate achievements. When a colleague or a subordinate feels that their achievements are being acknowledged and emphasized in a positive light, they will feel like valued members of the team. This, in turn, will inspire them.
10. Sponsored programs, education and discounts. Find a way to subsidize things like gym memberships, education, healthcare, childcare and transportation for the employees. Everyone loves a good deal.

In the comments section, please share any other things that may help boost office morale. If you found this helpful, please share.

by Yana The Cubicle Dweller