Maximize Employee Morale and You’ll Maximize Employee Performance!

“The best morale exists when you never hear the word mentioned. When you hear a lot of talk about it, it’s usually lousy.”

– Dwight Eisenhower.

Tell tale signs can say a lot about your employee’s morale, and in turn may say a lot about how they feel about their jobs and the company as a whole. High turnover, increased training (due to low employee retention), lower productivity, increased sick time usage; these are all signs that there may be low morale within your Firm. Simple changes and additions to everyday office practices can help maximize employee morale which in turn will increase overall performance.

Positive Internal Relationships

Company morale suffers when negative interpersonal relationships exist among the staff. Encouraging positive relationships works by keeping together groups that have a strong personal bond and sponsoring activities such as company picnics, community fundraisers, and get-togethers that create bonding. Stay ahead of the game by addressing potential conflicts immediately and, when possible, keep people apart if they are unable to work together.

Management Needs to Communicate

This is especially important for financial and accounting firms, where morale can become increasingly low due to high demands, little engagement from management and working overtime during tax seasons. A  manager who supports their team can be more effective at maintaining morale than a hands-off manager. Managers should develop one-on-one working relationships with employees; communicating openly and honestly, so they can monitor staff progress, make recommendations about how to improve productivity and help employees deal with issues that may come up. Employee productivity will increase if they feel that management is interested in their progress and has a plan in place to help their career move forward. 

Spread the Wealth

Some employees truly want to be involved in projects and are open to taking on more responsibility. Identifying these employees and getting them involved in new projects can help keep them challenged and motivated. Offer all employees opportunities for more involvement at some level, but do not punish those who prefer to stick to their immediate job responsibilities- taking on more responsibility is not for everyone.

Pridestaff Financial understands the value of increased productivity, but we also understand the importance of teamwork and communication. Contact us today to learn how we can help you find, recruit and retain the best financial candidates!