Secrets to Resolving the Morale Issues

Emerson states, “Nothing great was
ever achieved without enthusiasm”. A majority of the issues related to worker
productivity stem from enthusiasm or the lack thereof. Individuals simply go to
work despite their abhorrence of their employer, the monotony, and the
products. There is no passion or pride.

Much of this issue stems from
practices embedded within an organizational culture affecting morale and
productivity.   These include:

•    Leadership not serving as exemplars – some
leaders today are narcissists, demeaning and ruthless. More importantly,
leaders’ salaries can exceed employee pay by 425 times the average worker.  Leaders need to act in harmony with employees
and enure equal treatment of all. Cultures where this practice occurs
frequently include McDonalds, Fed Ex and UPS where employees and management are
one.

•    Little or no accountability  - The United States economic system is
currently in financial turmoil and no one is accountable. Employees need to
know that mistakes may count for learning but criminals are punished for repeat
offenses.

•    Career planning and succession planning is null
– simply put there is no succession planning. Most CEOs and senior managers
join an organization from competitive industries and companies. Whatever
happened to the mailroom climb?

•    Too many silos and departmental infighting –
Companies are in business for one reason- to create clients. End the infighting
and focus on the most vital asset!When the fighting ends (and everybody
understands their reason for being employed) perhaps harmony arrives.

Causes of low morale correlate to
the organization, its culture, and its management. After 25 years of research in
this area, we find five factors contributing to organizational morale. A study
by the Corporate Leadership Council revealsthe tremendous impact managers have
on an employee’s level of commitment. It is imperative to note that individuals
do not leave companies - they leave poor managers. Organizational
mis-management contributes to negative morale. As recent as 2006 the Gallup
Organization estimated there were 32 million actively disengaged employees
costing the American economy up to $350 billion per year in lost productivity.
Such loss includes absenteeism, tardiness, and poor work.

To dilute the productivity impact,
research shows that taking time to build relationships with employees through
personal interaction, is a key step managers can take to keep morale high.
Employees need to feel trust and respect from their managers. Employees desire
feedback from management to understand their work matters.

Ending the morale issue is not
easy but there are cures.

1.    Begin with talent acquisition – Start with the
right people. No firm we work with ever hires on a proactive basis. Most firms
conduct employment searches reactively. Seek employees that fit with the
organizational culture and with the obligatory skills. Never wait!

2.    Hire for skill – Talent is innate. Organizations
hire for personality and behavior first and skill second. Skill is not
interchangeable, behavior is. A great hire might have a wonderful temperament
and lack the skill to plug a socket into an outlet. I recall a five star hotel
that sought advice to correct housekeeping flaws. After five minutes, it was
easy enough to terminate staff and find those without flaws.

3.    Look at best practices from best people –
Management focuses on “fixing those that cannot” rather than “improving those
that can”. Icons of performance exist in your organization. Discover what they
do right and encourage others to emulate it.

4.    Passion – In the 1980’s Sylvester Stallone
appeared again as Rocky this time with a theme, “Eye of the Tiger”. What a great
metaphor for valuable talent. Seek to acquire talent that truly loves work.
Passion too is innate. Employees must love what they do and how they do it.
When passion is high so too is morale.

5.  Focus on the Customer - Managers, the organization, and the
employees must vehemently focus on the customer. Remember Winnie the Pooh, try
finding Eeyore amongst staff at Disney; Southwest Airlines and FedEx, all
intensely focus on servicing the client.

Lastly, managers must constantly
strive to provide feedback to employees. Feedback is not an annual performance
review event. It is imperative that daily communication exists for good
information and improvement. Coaching, counseling, and mentoring are components
of organizational morale. In addition, many attend church and hear the words,
“It is right to give thanks and praise”. Many watch professional sports and
view coaches coddling athletes. We can learn something here; simple words of
thanks and praise constantly improve morale and employee relationships.

Finally, the first item terminated
during economic volatility is training. Research finds that employees are
assets and require that treatment. Never stop training; this improves
productivity and morale at all times.

Issues of low morale and
productivity are onerous, volatile, and difficult to control. There is a need
for management, the organization, and the individual to assist with success
factors. Much is dependent on the desire to change; methods chosen and
consistent follow through. However, if you do nothing you still have a morale
issue. Take the time, seek remedies, and keep morale high. Doing so, lowers
attrition, improves productivity, increases profitability and most importantly-
reduces stress.

© 2008. Drew J. Stevens Ph.D. All
rights reserved.