Companies have assets. This often makes us think of capital and physical facilities like factories, distribution centers, property and other assets. It would include good will, trade names, trade marks, technology and just plain know how. But you probably would not see employees on such a list even though the employees of a company may be the most important asset. In this article we will discuss employee morale and five things we can do to improve it.
1. Participation: Being Part of the Company
We humans like to contribute to our society. We like to take part in what is going on around us. If a company is dynamic and expanding, the employees will want to jump in and make things happen. If we leave them out of what is going on, they will fill alienated. They will feel unloved so to say. So we want our employees to take part in company operations in as many ways as are feasible.
Many of our companies are technically oriented. If we want every employee to have some say as to what is going on in the company then we need to make sure they do know what is going on. Most employees may not have the background to contribute on a technical basis, but if they understand their job they will see things that are obvious to them just because they are close to the operation. So they may make a suggestion that doesn't seem right to management, but if management will really listen, they will figure out what the employee is trying to say and will then be able to make changes that will improve the process.
If your company is focusing on continual improvement then you will want to have small departmental committees where selected employees can participate and those employees should represent all of the employees of the department. That way suggestion from the floor can be turned into logical solutions.
2. Employee Evaluations: So How Am I Doing Boss?
When you make an evaluation of an employee, you are taking an interest in his of her work. It is a time for praise and critical evaluation. Supervisors need to help employees set goals for improvement. If there are special rewards for meeting a goal, such as a promotion, then possible rewards should be specified. Some companies give cash awards for special achievements. Having been on the receiving end of such awards and having passed them out to employees is a great morale booster.
3. Benefits: This Is a Great Place to Work
Benefits are so expensive that firms are continually reducing them and cutting them out of the plan. Often the problem is that the benefits were too high to start with. A benefit is actually part of an employees salary. It might be best for a company to cut out benefits, tell employees that the benefits must be provided by themselves, and that their salary reflects the need for such benefits as medical and retirement and then teach them how to obtain plans to suit their individual needs. That could buffer the challenge of ever increasing cost.
The employees would become more like independent agent such as the care-giver who takes care of my wife. I pay her more than the usual wage and some agency does not take money away from her. She is in business for herself.
So, you could hire workers on contract as independent agents.
Well, some employees are not going to like this so you may have to offer company plans but it would be up to the employee to pay into the plans, and even if the employee has payments deducted from his check it does not mean that the company is sponsoring the plan. It is simply an available plan.
4. Participation in Community Events: I Represent the Bigalot Corporation
Companies should be aware of the community they reside in. There is always something going on and company employees can make great contributions in time and know-how. Inform employees of community events and invite them to participate.
5. Sports and Recreation: I Made the Team
Baseball, softball, and some other team sports are great for company morale. The participants and the observers are all happily involved. Wearing company uniforms is good for business too. Also informal games can be played at company outings. T-shirts can be supplied to employees and their families. I still wear a high quality T-shirt given to me for a company outing twenty years ago.
You can do other things for employees if you have the resources. A company I worked for in New England repaired homes and churches for their employees after a tornado passed through town.
I knew one old fellow who owned a engineering and manufacturing firm near Pittsburgh where if he heard that an employee had a washing machine break down, he would find a new one installed when he got home. The employees were well paid and tried to keep such problems away from this fine fellow.