While ensuring the mental and physical health of employees is essential to have a functional workforce, morale and motivation are equally important aspects that are often overlooked by many companies. Motivation refers to one’s drive to finish a task, while morale refers to one’s energy and enthusiasm towards their work, and both are needed to guarantee good workplace performance, but also retention.
A workforce with low motivation and morale are more likely to quit their jobs due to burnout and lack of drive, and can even affect their health by constantly stressing out about working a job that they no longer enjoy doing. That said, we’ll be taking a look at different activities and events that are geared towards improving workforce morale and motivation:
#1 Employee Recognition and Appreciation
Neglecting to appreciate your workforce’s performance, and failing to recognize the efforts and performance of model or high-performing employees can lead to workplace dissatisfaction, which also translates to lower morale and motivation. As such, you can organize an event or activity that’s geared towards reviewing your workforce’s performance and congratulating them for their performance, and also provide awards and recognition to high-performing teams and individuals. Your company can do this as a separate event, paired with a fun socials night, or include the recognition and appreciation activities in annual or mid-year events.
#2 Volunteering
Team building events with social activities are the go-to for companies in terms of team synergy and workforce motivation boosting activities. However, you may want to consider having your workforce volunteer in the community, whether it’s for tree planting, helping out a certain community or group. Volunteering gives your workforce a sense of purpose and can effectively boost their mood and morale. If you’re keen on having a social event, you can always have the volunteering activity in the day and the team socials later on.
#3 Inviting Motivational Speakers and Personalities to Events
Whether it’s your year-end review or company-wide training activity, consider inviting a motivational speaker or a known personality to about topics that can help boost workforce morale, synergy, and coordination. There are even companies and agencies that let you book athletes to do speaking engagements and even autograph signings. Even if your company doesn’t have a lot of sports enthusiasts, there’s no question that a lot of lessons in team sports and sports anecdotes from professional athletes can be applicable to the workplace.
#4 Surprises
Morale and motivation-boosting activities and events don’t have to be grand or pre-announced. Throwing in small and spontaneous surprises can help boost your workforce’s mood. For example, allowing your workforce (or a team) to leave work early or treat them with a surprise meal after a hectic week or month is a good way to that you appreciate their hard work.
Bonus: Ask!
If you’re having trouble trying to determine which activity would be best to help boost morale and motivation, don’t be afraid to ask your employees (either directly or through their supervisors/managers). You can do so through a meeting, or by having a workplace-wide survey. Doing so wouldn’t only help you pick the best event or activity, but it lets your workforce know and feel that their choice matters, and that you genuinely care about morale and keeping them motivated.
The Takeaway
Monitoring and maintaining employee health and safety takes care of your workforce’s mind and body, but providing them with activities and events to boost their morale takes care of your workforce’s ‘heart.’ So, as corny as that may sound, it’s best to consider organizing these activities if you want to have employees that are loyal to your company and have the drive to meet and surpass what’s expected of them.