Employees are the building blocks of any corporation, they keep the company alive and running regardless of how amazing the product and management really are. That’s why it’s crucial to keep your employees not only happy, but also happy with each other. Camaraderie and morale are two very important elements at any workplace. Office morale is also crucial when you’re a small or medium sized business because if there is even one little disagreement, it will be much more prominent around the workplace.
So, how can you increase morale around the office without wasting too much of your time and money? Luckily, there are a handful of options!
1. Monthly lunches
Nothing brings people together quite like food does, and that’s the perfect way to get your employees together in the workplace! Buying a staff lunch once a month can make your employees feel appreciated for their hard work and gives them an opportunity to unwind, as well as a chance to have small talk with each other unrelated to work and that in turn helps your company culture grow better. Small and medium sized businesses need a strong partnership and friendship between their employees in order to achieve their highest level of productivity, and this lunch is a worthy investment.
2. Brain Teasers
Having riddles and brainteasers posted on your office bullet-in board seems like such a minor thing to do, but it can drastically improve the atmosphere around the office. It creates a fun challenge for the employees to take part in on their way to the cooler or snack room, and it is essential for them to change the mental pace after long periods of monotonous office work. Also, it can give them a wonderful sense of achievement when they solve it correctly and, in turn, giving them a boost of confidence that can prove beneficial to their productivity.
3. Group Exercise
According to Holmes (2015) “Workers who spent 30–60 minutes at lunch exercising reported an average performance boost of 15 percent.”
Being cooped up in an office for long periods of time and maintaining the same sitting position can wreck havoc on your employees and yourself, both physically and mentally. That’s why it’s essential to take short breaks now and again and take a little stroll or stretch it out. You can make this a group activity around the workplace by assigning the occasional break for all employees, yourself included, by having a quick group stretch session.
Try incorporating any of these three suggestions in the office and watch the magic happen! If you’re worried about expenses and losing daylight during the workday, just remember that you’re now using ZenHR; all of that time you might have lost before is no longer a worry, because ZenHR is efficient enough to help you go about your company business super quickly.
References:
Holmes, R. (2015, March 23rd), Why it’s time we paid employees to exercise at work. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/why-its-time-we-paid-employees-to-exercise-at-work-2015-3
By Fatima Anabtawi