With employee engagement estimated to be at all time low, meaning only 15% of employees worldwide feel engaged at work, increasing your team’s morale and involvement is so important to keep moving forward on a positive path for 2022. Here are a few tired and true methods to get your team’s mood lifted and fun happening to increase productivity and happiness.
Celebrate Everything
Whether it is monthly birthdays, new babies, graduations, or promotions, celebrating events builds connections and strong bonds with your team. Furthermore, increasing these relationships and building trust with leadership is the first step to increasing morale in work teams.
Not only does celebrating at work recognize people, but you will also learn more about employees’ likes, family life, and hobbies. Furthermore, building strong, trusting relationships is vital to a healthy work culture. Finally, increasing employee engagement is important in creating those foundational leadership steps with your team.
Dress Days
Even with remote work, dressing up with a certain theme in mind or in special attire can have such a positive impact. Morale will increase and conversations will start with your colleagues about your attire. Think about establishing an entire week, Monday through Friday, as special dress up days. Name the week, “Spirit Week” or Wacky Week of Dress Up.”
Whatever gets employees geared up for fun! For example: sports teams on Monday, crazy socks on Tuesday, or your favorite TV or movie themes on Wednesday. You get the idea. Get creative and have some fun.
Finally, make every day in the office a celebration! You should consider hosting a week of special lunches with activities tied into your theme. You need to think about virtual work arounds if everyone is not together in the office. Your creativity is the limit!
Host a Staff Day
As discussed in January’s post, host a special day (or even a half day) devoted to professional development. Bring in free speakers from the surrounding community library or from other departments to speak.The topics should be chosen to make an impact on your staff. You need to think about pending health, safety, or new library policies to be introduced.
Consider introducing new technology, especially in our virtual world. This would be a great start, to then follow up with smaller trainings. Your team needs your leadership to be more involved and excited about work. Conduct a survey and understand what people want to learn before planning the day
You will discover a lot about your team, and they will thank you for creating the tradition of a designated Staff Day. For more career tips follow me at KathyHusserTempe.com
