How to Boost Employee Morale During Difficult Times
Ajay Kumar, Head — Human Relations, Continental India
The ongoing pandemic has made it imperative that we focus strongly on employee morale. Work from home has created additional stress and blurred boundaries between work and personal life.
To put this in perspective, a global Harvard Business Review study in February 2021 stated that 89 percent of workers felt their work-life was getting worse, 85 percent said that their well-being had declined, and 56 percent believed their job demands had increased.
In this situation, employers need more initiatives to boost employee morale. But before we go there, we need to understand what this means in today’s world.
Employee morale in today’s world
Employee morale does not refer to how happy or satisfied employees are. Ensuring the overall wellbeing of employees is at the heart of boosting morale. In times of emotional and social crises, mental and professional wellbeing take a prominent position at the workplace. It is important that employers proactively respond to employees’ critical needs to make them feel secure.
Earlier, compensation was one of the primary factors to boost morale. However, in the current circumstances, expectations have increased in terms of enhanced benefits, focus on health and wellness, and long-term security.
Additionally, these expectations have brought forth insecurities that are largely influenced by the current situation. Disruptive changes such as long-term virtual work require an empathetic approach to provide emotional support and act on employees’ apprehensions swiftly to build resilience. This requires the right planning that improves culture and fosters moral support.
Based on my experience in the past year and a half, below are my thoughts on how to boost employee morale:
- Transparent communication and authenticity
In recent times, remote working has created barriers for employees to voice their thoughts freely. This can lead to miscommunication and a feeling of isolation. Regular communication and one-on-ones will keep the employer updated about the employee and their concerns. Communicating with employees, seeking feedback, and acting upon concerns will ensure authenticity and build a sense of trust and psychological safety.
2. Develop a culture of empathy
Leading your employees can be a difficult journey in the current times. However, keeping in mind that the team works with a shared vision and common values can help bring out the best in the team. Listening and showing empathy has a huge impact on employee mindset and productivity at work. At the same time, an ecosystem of mutual empathy when demonstrated between managers and their reports as well as between peers directly impacts morale. When managers demonstrate flexibility to cater to employees’ needs, they reciprocate with their efforts and commitment.
3. Promote personal and professional development
Organizations need to understand that employee development must take on a holistic approach. Providing employees with the right tools, knowledge, and resources to grow professionally is essential. Recognizing employees’ talents and utilizing those strengths when the right opportunity comes gives the employees motivation. Additionally, the focus should also be on their personal growth which comes with promoting the importance of soft skills like leadership, communication, emotional intelligence, time management, and creating balance. The variety and mode of learning opportunities available should be in abundance.
4. Benefits that keep employee needs in mind
The current situation is ever-changing and the employee benefits that the organization provides needs to keep up with these changes. For instance, today, emergency medical support, vaccination leave days, and reinforced medical schemes are important aspects that are in focus. Benefits should be introduced and revised based on industry benchmarks. The policies should be made flexible so that employees can have options that cater to their specific needs. Inform the employees about the various benefits they can avail, their advantages, and how they compare with industry practices. This provides reassurance and a sense of certainty to the employees.
5. Focus on your employees
Recognizing the strengths and contributions of your employees and supporting them has a positive impact. A simple compliment or taking someone’s hard work into account can boost their morale almost instantly. This also develops a stronger relationship between the manager and the employee.
Summing up
Organizations need to focus on the holistic wellbeing and welfare of their employees to keep up their morale. This may not be an easy task but good planning can have long-term benefits. Good morale is contagious and influences the workflow and productivity of individuals. Maintaining a healthy environment with understanding and mutual respect contributes to the organization as a whole.
About the author
Ajay is the head of Human Relations, Continental India, comes with over two decades of experience in human resource management. In his role, Ajay overlooks both the Automotive and Rubber Groups of Continental in India.
Before his current role, he was heading HR for Continental’s Technical Centre India (TCI). Under his leadership, Continental TCI grew aggressively, from around 1200 engineers, touching a headcount of 3000 in mid-2018. He was also instrumental in streamlining HR practices at TCI, which resulted in TCI receiving several industry accolades for HR best practices from premiere industry bodies and organizations — NHRD and Zinnov, to name a few.
