Boosting employee morale
Cat:BusinessForum:9506
Cat:BusinessForum:9506Discussion:95e1af9a-754a-43f9-acbd-e3e0cfd4292d
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Boosting employee morale
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A Globe story looks at how companies reeling form the recession are still trying to find ways to keep the spirits of their employees high, even when the business conditions make it necessary for pay
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Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/11/2009 9:39 AM EDT
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Posts: 894
First: 6/3/2008 Last: 12/22/2009 |
A Globe story looks at how companies reeling form the recession are still trying to find ways to keep the spirits of their employees high, even when the business conditions make it necessary for pay cuts and layoffs. Such efforts include the old tried-and-true method of free lunches and other culinary delights. Has your company done anything to try and uplift the mood of its workers? What are some ways you think companies could better manage the morale of employees? |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/11/2009 10:03 AM EDT
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Posts: 4
First: 6/11/2009 Last: 12/23/2009 |
well, I know a way companies who have been through rough times can boost morale. NOT taking away holidays from employees! Employees at my company have already been subjected to several rounds of layoffs and a mandatory company-wide 15% paycut. What has been done to boost morale in the now morgue-like atmosphere? Nothing! On the contrary, since the 4th of July is a saturday this year the company says they are under no legal obligation to give employees ANY time off or pay! Not even a floater day! Now, I understand this is not a law they have to adhere to but My God! Its tough for employers, granted, but it is also tough for your now-poorer-than-they-started-employees! I would welcome a free hotdog!
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/11/2009 10:32 AM EDT
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Posts: 4
First: 6/11/2009 Last: 12/23/2009 |
"You find out a lot about the company you work for when the chips are down," said Bill Driscoll, New England district president for staffing firm Robert Half International. Thats a great statement. Well played, Mr. Driscoll, well played. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/11/2009 10:48 AM EDT
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Posts: 131
First: 8/21/2007 Last: 11/25/2009 |
free pizza - where do I sign up! My company is not doing anything, actually they are cutting. No more culinary perks, that included bottled water. A day off onc ein a while for hard work is a good motivator. I understand money is tight, believe me I understand BUT, throw us a bone once in a while. As the old saying goes...You get more with honey than you do with vinegar |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/12/2009 11:02 AM EDT
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Posts: 6
First: 1/20/2009 Last: 6/18/2009 |
Boost morale.... How about remembering that your employees are people, first and foremost. We have families and family obligations. For the typical worker, a job is just that a job. It's one thing if your job involves savings lives (like a heart surgeon), then obviously you need to do whatever is necessary to save those lives. However, for everyone else, we should not be working ridiculously long hours at the expense of our families. I put in 80 hours last week and because I'm an exempt employee, I did not get one penny extra in pay. Will my company ease my workload and/or give me some comp time? Not a chance. Please don't insult me by giving me so much work that I have to work 60-80 hours per week, miss family functions like birthday parties, graduations, etc. and then hand me a hot dog and say we're equal. To all employers... Remember, that your employees are people, first and foremost. You need to respect them as people. They are not machines that you can run 7x24. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/12/2009 12:24 PM EDT
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Posts: 1450
First: 7/26/2008 Last: 12/21/2009 |
The truth is that most of these places have no leadership, nor do they even understand the difference between teamwork and teams. They simply attempt to make the appearance that they do. Tossing out a thread on this subject matter is an even cheaper (i.e. than cheap food) method to abscond free advice. Ignorance is the enemy of mankind. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/13/2009 6:28 AM EDT
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Posts: 7
First: 9/10/2008 Last: 6/13/2009 |
At my place the motto is: "The beatings will continue until morale improves". The CEO is going off the deep end, using every opportunity to audition for a part in a Dickens book. He's a micromanager and keeps written lists of very mistake that every employee makes, even if it's just typos in reports, so he can call them into his office and scream at them periodically. It's so bad that even in this economy we've had people quit with no job to go to just to get away from this maniac. The funny thing is, he thinks that morale is great, and he tells people so all the time. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/13/2009 10:53 PM EDT
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Posts: 4
First: 6/13/2009 Last: 6/25/2009 |
When I worked for a retirement community in Maine, they used to offer free massages once a month to the employees :-) After the seniors got theirs done, any extra time was alotted for employees on a first come, first serve basis.
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/14/2009 5:54 PM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 6/14/2009 Last: 6/14/2009 |
Associate engagement is P1 in my company. I manage a staff of about 20 associates. Monthly, we celebrate their birthday with a catered luncheon; each associate receives a personalized birthday card signed by the management team and mailed to their home. In addition, associates are nominated for a corporate honor named "People First" based on "above and beyond performance". And, since safety is critical in our industry and accidents represent an expense to both the associate and the company, we use Safety Bingo with $5, $10, and $15 Gift Card prizes and celebrate our accident-free operation at quarter year milestones with another catered luncheon and $25 gift cards for each associate. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/15/2009 3:49 PM EDT
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Posts: 78
First: 5/30/2008 Last: 11/11/2009 |
Associate engagement is P1 in my company. I manage a staff of about 20 associates. Monthly, we celebrate their birthday with a catered luncheon; each associate receives a personalized birthday card signed by the management team and mailed to their home. In addition, associates are nominated for a corporate honor named "People First" based on "above and beyond performance". And, since safety is critical in our industry and accidents represent an expense to both the associate and the company, we use Safety Bingo with $5, $10, and $15 Gift Card prizes and celebrate our accident-free operation at quarter year milestones with another catered luncheon and $25 gift cards for each associate. Posted by mbarry999z Hmm by refering to "associates" i am guessing you work for either a consulting firm or a law firm. Eventually, little childrens rewards like birthday cards or money for drinking, do not make up for a social life that completely revolves around the firm that makes you work 80+ hour weeks. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/15/2009 3:55 PM EDT
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Posts: 78
First: 5/30/2008 Last: 11/11/2009 |
Boost morale.... How about remembering that your employees are people, first and foremost. We have families and family obligations. For the typical worker, a job is just that a job. It's one thing if your job involves savings lives (like a heart surgeon), then obviously you need to do whatever is necessary to save those lives. However, for everyone else, we should not be working ridiculously long hours at the expense of our families. I put in 80 hours last week and because I'm an exempt employee, I did not get one penny extra in pay. Will my company ease my workload and/or give me some comp time? Not a chance. Please don't insult me by giving me so much work that I have to work 60-80 hours per week, miss family functions like birthday parties, graduations, etc. and then hand me a hot dog and say we're equal. To all employers... Remember, that your employees are people, first and foremost. You need to respect them as people. They are not machines that you can run 7x24. Posted by vinca123 Vinca - good post. The sad thing is that it costs a company less to make an employee making $60K work 80 hours than to make 2 employees work 40 hours each for $30K each. This is because of employer provided health care, retirement and possibly other benefits. Until either health care costs are decoupled from employment or hours are regulated this will be the reality. I would much prefer regulations as to hourly limits. I also worked at a place with constant 60-80 hour weeks and weekend work. It took a toll on my health (and I am young and active!) and on my mental state. People should not be forced to chose between unemployment or inhumane employment. |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/15/2009 4:14 PM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 6/15/2009 Last: 6/15/2009 |
The hell w/ boosting moral. Companies are laying off people..that's bad. Workers who don't get laid off have to work more...sometimes for reduced pay/benefits...that's also bad. Pizza and hot dog moral boosters for those who didn't get laid off is an insult. Let's see management lead by example. Management should cut pay by 10% more than any pay cut given to the guy who has to do the work. No productivity bonus for mangers in a downturn either. For too long now, management has profited on the backs of workers...The hell with this...if they serve pizza or hot dogs...don't eat it...Say you'll take the money instead.... |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/15/2009 4:40 PM EDT
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Posts: 5199
First: 12/15/2005 Last: 12/25/2009 |
Most of you are talking from the employees standpoint. But please let me tell you - times are really tough for employers these days. Do any of you have any idea, how much we employers have to shell out for insurances for example? Health ins. for a family is now a good $1000 by now. For a single person - $600. Then there are compulsory liability ins., workman's comp., disability ins., life ins. for the employees etc. etc. Insurance is one of our company's largest expense. Expenses to run an office has also gone up - totally out of range. We pay per copy for ex. for our copy machine. So, if you bring in your son's library book to copy - so you don't have to buy it, we shell out 16 cents per page - that all adds up. Then come September and January, where school children go back to school. Somehow our storage closets empties out. Pencils, ballpoint pens, markers, erasers, writing pads are in high demands in those months. We even had employees walking away with paper towels and tissue paper. Do we say anything? No, we do not (yeah agree, we are stupid, but we don't want to rock to boat). Whenever---, those " thieves" will be the first ones to go. You as an employee may not think that the writing pad, you just took home amount to much - but if you add up all the things that "disappear" - you would be quite surprised. We do try to keep the moral high in our office. At Christmas and at the anniversary of our company, we take the employees and their spouses out for dinner. Birthdays are celebrated at the office with catered lunch and a cake. We used to have a clam bake every year, but had to scratched that. It just got too expensive. We wish we could do a lot more for our dedicated employees. Somehow, I think we must be doing something right. Some of our employees have been w/us for over 20 - 25 years. So, when you sit and chew on your pencil or click on your computer, please give a thought to the people who pay you. Instead of complaining - have some compassion. We are all in the same boat. Times are tough right now - Pingo |
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Re: Boosting employee morale
posted at 6/15/2009 5:11 PM EDT
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Posts: 6
First: 11/5/2008 Last: 6/15/2009 |
How about not being a jackas s to your employees? Good times or bad times, they're all going to try to squeeze as much productivity, non paid over time, and skipped lunches out of you as possible. USA! USA! USA! |