Don't Bring Me Down

Morale is delicate thing. It can be irreparably damaged with just a few ill considered words. Maybe more harmful, a few well considered words NOT spoken.

I was reading this morale boosting advice/tips column on Inc. Magazine’s site. Here are a few of author Jacqueline M. Hames’ points that spoke to me loud and crystal -- I've added my own thoughts/ideas as well.

1. Encourage idea sharing, and make that sharing road a two-way street.
Listening to the ideas of your employees is great, but it can only go so far if the employee doesn't know enough about business operations to present a viable idea.

YES and THIS! How can employees learn more about the biz, about the company? Try clear, up to date training.

Someone who runs a Quickmaster press  all day may not need to grok all there is to know about the customer service department but they probably have some interesting, fresh thoughts and ideas.

Provide a basic overview of all departments to ALL employees. Have the seminars taught by an in house specialist whenever possible. If the expert isn’t an articulate or eloquent communicator, find a clear, cogent talker -- get that person trained up -- and have her/him teach the class.

Right there you’ve shown at least three employees (teacher, student, expert) that they are valued, trusted and worth the investment of time and knowledge. All that and you’ll end up with a more knowledgeable, highly committed team.

Now then, I really hate when the word 'team' is tossed around -- as though just saying the word, repeatedly, is all that’s needed to build one. It’s not. Ever. In fact, using that word promiscuously is a sure fire way to make yourself look like a clueless, out of touch task master who really should have showed up more to his/her Team Development & Leadership class in MBA school.

2. Make the workplace comfortable.
"Designing a comfortable environment is about more than aesthetics...You'll need more than just cushy chairs and ergonomic desks, for this.... Make small adjustments to your lighting scheme and bring in fun desk lamps if you can't banish the overhead fluorescent glare, or open curtains to allow for natural light if you have windows. Keep the office temperature at a comfortable level, and make sure all the technology needed to do the job is available."

I’ve nothing much to add to this beyond a big fat OH YEAH! Unhappy cogs are the result when the workplace is too cold, too hot, badly lit and/or your desk chair worked better as a conceptual art type statement at The Ritter/Zamet Gallery.

It’s not OK, nor conducive to focused productive labor, when you need to keep your coat on ALL day (and you work indoors!).

The AC craps out? Yep, that happens. In addition to getting it fixed fast, be sure to provide a lot of cold drinks and fresh water. Hydrated desk jockeys are happy desk jockeys.

Bad lighting? Bring in some nice desk lamps. We all have one or two extra kicking around at home with no place to call home.  You don't? Goo to Freesharing.org for dog’s sake!

And put some art up on the damned walls! There’s a budding Ansel Adams, Jack Kirby, or Manet in most workplaces -- invite them to hang a few pieces.

If you’re a press shop or design firm -- put up some of the splashier posters and other ad collateral. In doing this you learn more about your clients and more about fellow laborers.

OK, guess I did have a bunch to add to that.

3. Build a culture of employee appreciation.
Cash incentives and public recognition, while nice, don't always make your employees feel totally appreciated.

Keep it coming though!

Being told, on a regular basis, that what you do helps make the company more successful, getting kudos and credit for it, goes a long ass way toward buoying morale and building a committed happy productive team. If you’re even nominally in charge of a group of worker bees, take the time to see, to recognize what your individual crew members do and then salute them. A ‘Hey, thank you for 

getting back to Manvendra at Global Widgets so quickly and thoroughly. That helped and made us look great,’ will be remembered and that stellar behavior will be repeated.

Also too...CUPCAKES are always in good taste.

4. Have fun.
Spiegelman also encourages wacky team building exercises, which could range from weeks-long murder mysteries to an all day off-site activity, like laser tag.

I’m ALL for having a fun activity but rarely, RARELY will all employees enjoy the same ‘fun’ thing. Make that event function on different levels.

In one place I worked, the owner was all about afternoons at the lanes -- bowling. NOT something too many of us were keen on. Def not me. Still a bunch of us went. Why?

A) Eh, attending would make me look better, more of an involved team player type, to the bosses.
B) Why not TRY it instead of just ixnaying it out of hand (by the by, I couldn’t possibly suck more at the old tenpins).
C) It was a good opportunity to socialize AND network with folks I normally didn’t see or chat with.
D) The bowling alley had a bar. The bartender made exceptional martinis. I have my priorities, doncha know.

The take away, for me, on this last bit is that there should be fun both in and outside of the gig -- for both you and your worker bees.

And smile, dammit. Stay upbeat. Don’t let the Dogs of War drag you down. If you’re bumming, your crew will be too. This is one place that the trickle down theory actually works.

Bad moods, crankiness spread faster than Bubonic Plague. Don’t infect the team -- the antidote is near impossible to come by and way expensive.

E.L.O. -- Don't Bring Me Down