Five ways to pump up employee morale

A resurgent economy and war for talent has increased attrition beyond the normal level
across sectors. While instances of mass exodus are yet to take place, HR experts say its
high time that bosses take note to prevent such a crisis. Writankar Mukherjee spoke to a
cross-section of seasoned HR professionals on how bosses can take guard and boost
employee morale.
Make the office a learning ground
Research has shown people don’t change jobs just for money. It is the job profile and the
ability to learn within a organization which often becomes a deciding factor. More so, in
case of today’s generation of professionals who want to learn and move up the ladder
fast. “When bosses and organizations continuously help an employee develop their
capabilities, they will not quit as they have a sense of enrichment. Bosses should give
correct feedback to employees on their performance, help them learn on the job and build
their capabilities,” says AkzoNobel India’s HR director Sangeeta Pandey.
Chart the employee’s growth
HR experts say employees who know in advance their growth plan within an
organization are much more motivated. “Even though youngsters tend to change jobs
every two years, they do so for career growth. So, why not show employees their future
career growth within the current organization, which highlights their potential salary and
future role?” says YV Verma, COO at LG Electronics India.
Reward and recognise
Like talent management should ideally be a year-round phenomena for every employee-
friendly company, so should be reward and recognition. “Giving a pat at the back at the
right time is important. Such rewards or recognition then becomes a kind of psychic
income. It sends the message that employees come before customers,” says Max
India Group director (human capital) P Dwarkanath, a veteran HR professional.
Make your company a dynamic one
The best way to boost employee morale is by constantly evolving their role and
responsibilities. HR experts say organisations should be dynamic enough to offer that
challenge to their employees. Top performers like new challenge and tends to get bored
doing the same thing for a long time. Godrej Consumer Products VP (HR) Rahul Gama
admits it is like walking on a tight rope when it comes to balancing a person’s tenure in a
role and ensure he does not quit for delay in upward movement . “Rotation of
professionals in different roles is a must to ensure equitable growth of the organisation
and individual,” says Gama. Godrej tends to rotate an employee’s role every three years.
Identify the employee’s sweet spot
HR experts say bosses should identify an employee’s sweet spot, be it job security, faster
growth, desire to work out of a particular location, or be part of a new business, and try to
nurture it. “People work for themselves and not for an employer. Each boss should know
the eco-system of an employee well enough. And then give him the ability to perform,
which if he lives up to then compensate him adequately and nurture his emotional and
sentimental well-being . These should be the responsibility of all bosses,” says Ajit Isaac,
HR analyst and MD at Ikya Human Capital Solutions.
Employee morale describes the overall outlook, attitude, satisfaction, and confidence that
employees feel at work. When employees are positive about their work environment and
believe that they can meet their most important needs at work, employee morale is
positive or high. If employees are negative and unhappy about their workplace, and feel
unappreciated and as if they cannot satisfy their goals and needs, employee morale is
negative or low.
Employee morale is defined by the employee's outlook, optimism, self-concept, and
assured belief in themselves and their organization, its mission, goals, defined path, daily
decisions, and employee appreciation. Faith in self and faith in their organization are both
important factors in positive employee morale.
Improve Employee Morale
Factors that can contribute to positive employee morale include, but are not limited, to
these. Almost anything you do that contributes to a positive work environment for
employees helps to build employee morale. When you take care of factors such as these,
employee morale can remain high even in turbulent, uncertain times.
 treating employees with respect,
 providing regular employee recognition,
 empowering employees,
 offering open and regular communication about factors important to employees,
 providing feedback and coaching,
 offering above industry-average benefits and compensation,
 providing employee perks and company activities, and
 positively managing employees within a success framework of goals,
measurements, and clear expectations.
You can measure your organization's success in developing and fostering positive
employee morale by using the methods described in measuring employee satisfaction.
Building positive employee morale is not difficult, but it takes desire, commitment, and
attention on the part of management and the organization.

Dickinson State trying to improve employee morale

Associated Press - January 17, 2011 7:25 AM ET
DICKINSON, N.D. (AP) - Dickinson State University officials are discussing ways to
improve employee morale after staff who took part in a recent satisfaction survey gave
the school its lowest rating in eight years.
Spokeswoman Constance Walter says a president's Cabinet meeting was held after the
holiday break to review the findings and look into ways the university can address the
concerns. She says faculty and staff will be included in the process.
State University System Chancellor Bill Goetz (getz) says such surveys are to be used in
a positive manner, to help make improvements.Information from: The Dickinson
Press, http://www.thedickinsonpress.com
Flexible working can improve employee morale

HR News | 12/01/2011
Employers and HR departments may be able to have a positive influence on employee
morale by embracing the concept of flexible working, it has been suggested,

Dr Ken Beaumont, principal consultant and manager at Workforce Logistics, said the
ability to request flexible working ought to be an employee's right.

He noted that the current legislation allows certain classes of people to request non-
standard hours, but does not place any obligation upon the employer to grant permission.

"The employee currently has to put a case [forward stating] why they should be allowed
flexible working," Dr Beaumont added.

"Good employers will permit flexible working where it is possible [if] it doesn't affect the
business."

He was speaking after Dr John Philpott, chief economic adviser to the Chartered Institute
of Personnel and Development, called on the government to implement measures which
boost the long-run supply side capacity of the UK economy.

"This must include efforts to boost productivity by improving the way in which
businesses manage the people they employ," the HR expert commented.

Dr Beaumont echoed this sentiment, claiming that workers are generally more content if
are able to exercise a degree of control over their working day.

"People are happier if they can fit their work in with outside interests," he stated.

"Previously the legislation has focussed on parents with young children or dependents
and rightly so, but all people have interests outside of work."

Simply allowing employees to have some input over their start time can prove hugely
beneficial, in terms of reducing stress, Dr Beaumont stated.

He claimed that even very small changes are welcomed by the majority of employees.

Back in September, plans to make it easier for people to balance work and family life
were set out by the employment relations minister Edward Davey.

He signalled the government's intention to bring forward ambitious proposals to create

more flexible, family friendly workplaces.

Mr Davey said the right to request flexible working will be extended to parents of
children under 18 from April 2011, benefiting nearly 300,000 more people.
Posted by Stephen Wilkinson

High Employee Morale and the Guest Experience

Little details about the work environment can create positive impacts.

A key to keeping guests happy is keeping staff members happy. Ultimately, employees
who look good will feel good, and this can translate into a better experience for guests.

The opposite is also true – a study by Market Metrix shows that guests who report an
issue with hotel staff are 47 percent less likely to return. To keep staff looking and feeling
their best, hoteliers should implement programs that reduce strain, improve comfort and
allow staff to feel better quickly if they are suffering from congestion or other common
ailments.

For staff members who are consistently on their feet and interacting with guests, anti-
fatigue matting can be an easy and welcomed solution to remedy strain from standing. By
encouraging movement in calf and leg muscles, anti-fatigue mats facilitate the flow of
blood throughout the legs – a process that is limited when standing on hard surfaces. In
addition to reducing strain, anti-fatigue matting has also been shown to improve
productivity and reduce absenteeism.

An apparel update is another way to bolster employee morale. An outdated or poorly

selected apparel program can leave associates unhappy, which can negatively impact
guests. Time-starved hotel managers may not fully consider the potential impact of a
uniform program on staff.

According to the Cornell study, “The result of a poor selection (that is, a uniform that
doesn't function well or looks bad) is that the uniform can actually have a negative effect
on employee attitudes and, perhaps, lead to customer dissatisfaction.”

In addition to style, fabric composition is an important consideration. Breathable, durable

fabrics will further increase staff comfort, particularly in job functions that require
frequent movement. This is especially important during warmer seasons.

Hoteliers are also integrating eco-fabrics into their apparel programs. Made from recycled
plastic bottles, these fabrics can have a positive impact on employee morale because staff
members appreciate a choice that is good for the environment.

Finally, providing staff with easily accessible first aid medicine will limit uncomfortable
symptoms from common ailments such as headaches, allergies or cold-related symptoms.
Rather than struggling through the day, convenient access to over-the-counter remedies
will help improve morale and guest interactions.
Simple Steps to Ensure a Positive Impression

It has been said that it can cost as much as five times more to attract a new customer than
retain current customers. Providing guests with a favorable image of your property is one
easy way to keep guests returning and make sure they share their positive experience with
friends and in online reviews.
No one wants to see a negative review of their hotel or hear that a guest has had a less
than satisfactory experience. To capitalize on the potential impact of the first impression,
it is important to ensure all the right systems are in place. This means making sure that
the property and staff look good so guests and staff feel great. A simple initiative like
making sure carpets in entryway areas are deep cleaned on a quarterly basis can go a long
way with guests. Yet often these simple steps are overlooked in the demanding
complexity of managing a hotel property.
Implementing these image-enhancing solutions does not have to create more work. Time
is a valuable resource, so streamlining services and working with one vendor that can
optimize supply chain efficiencies will reduce the amount of operator time required.
Further, it allows hoteliers additional time to manage their properties and focus on further
enhancing their guests’ experience.
By thinking ahead and having the right programs in place, hoteliers can see their
employee and customer satisfaction, as well as business results, move from good to great.
In the end, it’s the little things that make all the difference.
Cintas Corporation is a leading supplier of uniform direct sale and rental, safe floor
solutions, clean kitchen solutions, van-delivered first aid and safety supplies, AEDs,
training, fire protection services, as well as document shredding, imaging and storage to
the hospitality industry. For more information, go to www.cintaslodging.com.
Experts Say Proper Furniture Must For Effective Call Center Design
According to Chris DiMarco, the Web Editor at TMCNet, suitable furniture plays an
imperative role in effective design of a call center. As given in a recently published
white paper, call center design is mandatory for correct workflow process that can
help generate a healthy work environment, optimum employee turnover, better
employee morale, and higher productivity. There are many questions that need to be
addressed while designing a call center and the office furniture depends upon a
number of factors.
 (Media-Newswire.com) - Connecticut- January 15, 2010- According to Chris
DiMarco, the Web Editor at TMCNet, suitable furniture plays an imperative role in
effective design of a call center. As given in a recently published white paper, call
center design is mandatory for correct workflow process that can help generate a
healthy work environment, optimum employee turnover, better employee morale,
and higher productivity. There are many questions that need to be addressed while
designing a call center and the office furniture depends upon a number of factors.
When the layout and traffic flow of a call center is designed, it is very important to
get the supervisor stations placed in such a method that the company’s culture and
objectives are preserved. The type and alignment of the furniture speaks a lot about
any organization, and it is especially true for call centers where employees spend
most time of their work making calls. The location of administrative/executive and
HR offices is important, as is the location of break rooms and cafeteria, training and
multi purpose rooms.
According to the experts, furniture design should vary depending upon the call
center’s primary focus. There are many questions that need to be asked before
furniture could be decided. Some key points to be considered are the number of
shifts supported in the operation, if the call center is inbound or outbound, acoustics
and noise reduction, and lighting and seating options etc.
While the design of supervisor station is being done, it is important to know the type
of supervision needed. It should be clear if these offices should be on the call center
floor or not. Next decision would be about the type of seating, storage requirements,
office size, furniture orientation, data support, wall power and the need of a
conference room.
Global Response, one of the leading call centers, has the right furniture that helps
promote business processes. Their furniture is designed keeping the ergonomic
comfort in mind so that call center employees can work properly and with ease.
As the report stated, appropriate furniture is important for call centers if they want to
improve their business processes, and there are only a few leading call centers that
have the right kind of furniture.
For information on proper call center furniture, you can contact Global Response at:
777 S. State Road
7 Margate
Florida 33068
Phone: 954-973-7300
http://www.globalresponse.com/
sales@globalresponse.com