The summer can present a great opportunity to find inexpensive ways to help boost morale especially during this difficult economy.
According to a Robert Half International Survey of 1300 Canadian executives, 89% of respondents said their firms have implemented strategies to improve the collective mood of their teams; 20% of those said they’ve implemented additional team-building activities to boost spirits.
"These are stressful times and people feel anxiety in the workplace with people seeing co-workers or friends laid off. Companies combat that with morale boosting strategies," said Greg Pocherewny, a vice-president with Robert Half International, in a telephone interview with Suite 101.com.
Ways to Boost Morale
Some examples of the strategies noted by survey respondents to boost morale include financial incentives but that is not as common as once was as there are salary cuts so companies are looking for inexpensive ways to increase morale, Pocherewny noted.
Some of those inexpensive ways include public praise and flexibility with work schedules like Fridays off if companies can't do financial incentives. All of these can help boost morale and retain top employees.
BBQ, Picnics and More
In terms of team-building activities that survey respondents implemented, examples tie into flexible schedules. Pocherewny cited allowing time for social interactions in order to maintain camaraderie like a staff barbeque, paint ball, lunches or happy hour once in a while.
"We see a lot more things like that for employees to relax, get to know each other and boost morale. They can be cost effective to take their minds off stress at the workplace and build personal relationships at the office," he added.
While the summer provides the perfect weather to do some of these strategies and be morale boosters, Pocherewny stressed that people should do these activities all year-round and during any economy but is especially important now.
"Because of [the current] economy people are feeling stress but as we enter the summer months, the pace of business slows down, people take vacation, work slows down. Having a focus in the summer on improving morale and staff retention is a good idea as there are fewer people at work than typically are," he explained. "If people see empty offices, it makes people feel uneasy, so it is important to boost morale."
Robert Half surveyed hiring executives late last year between December 17, 2008 and January 14, 2009 with the questionnaire oriented around what they were doing to boost morale of their staff.
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