13 Creative Morale-Boosting Solutions That Your Team Will Thank You For

Your team has been working as hard as they can lately, but you can sense something is amiss. Their morale is sinking, and it's up to you to inspire them. So what do you do? If you're having trouble coming up with a solution, check out these simple ways to boost your team's morale in a hurry.

Recognize Individuals

Everybody likes to be recognized for their own personal achievements, no matter how small. Take some time to express your gratitude to each of the hard working employees that are part of your team.

Promote Unity

Yes, you need to address people both as individuals and as a team. Do what you can to remind your team that their individual efforts play into the success of the team as a whole.

Make Yourself Available To Your Team

Nothing is worse than a boss or manager who hides in his or her office all day. Your employees will feel like their efforts are meaningless without a visible leader to guide them. Take an active role and be part of the team you’re leading. It’ll show in productivity.

Offer Perks That Employees Truly Value

You value the employees on your team for all of the hard work they put in, so why not reward that hard work every once in a while? Low-cost perks such as allowing employees to work from home one day per week are usually no trouble for you as an employer, and they work wonders for employee morale.

Ask Your Team What Motivates Them — And Actually Listen

It’s just common sense. If you’re looking to boost morale amongst your team members, simply ask them what it is that motivates them most. Listen carefully to their responses and try to come up with a solution that fits everybody’s needs. This will require some creative thinking, but will surely pay dividends in the end.

Alter The Scenery

Working in the same stale space day after day can get extremely monotonous. Do your best to keep your team’s workspace dynamic by shifting desks, alternating decor, or even creating Post-It note murals of your favorite superheroes. Not only will this keep everyone’s perspective fresh, it can also be a great team building exercise.

Switch Up The Schedule

Just like changing scenery, changing the work schedule can do wonders for morale by breaking out of the ordinary. Does your company offer Fridays off during the summer? Switch it to Monday every once in a while, or better yet, give your employees their choice of which day they’d like off.

Allow Pets At Work

Pets are proven stress relievers and will instantly have an impact on your team’s attitude and performance. Even if you’re not ready to commit to an open-door employee pet policy, you can always test the waters by designating a specific employee pet day.

Encourage Friendly Competition

Everyone likes to compete. Encourage a little friendly competition amongst your team to drive motivation. Ideally, you’ll have some prizes that employees will actually strive for such as a gift card to the local lunch hotspot or extra vacation hours to really get your team in the competitive spirit.

Keep Your Team In The Loop

Nothing is more disheartening to a team member than consistently being left out of the circle of knowledge within your team (it’s especially worse when several team members feel the same way). Hold regular team meetings to keep your team focused and knowledgable about the direction the team will be heading in the future.

Allow For Employee Naps

There’s a reason you always got a designated nap time as a kid. Midday naps have been proven to increase productivity and provide for an overall better mood. Perhaps a designated nap time for your team would be a little silly, but a spontaneous cat nap for an exhausted employee might not be such a bad idea.

Organize An Event

Set up an event for your employees and make it fun! This gives the team something to look forward to while they’re working so very hard throughout each week. Whether you take a trip together or organize something more low-key at the office, your team is sure to be in better spirits.

Start A Club Based On Outside Interests

Many companies organize book clubs that serve as an escape from the daily activities of the office. If your office isn’t big on reading though, find out what types of interests everyone has in common and organize a club for it. Be sure to engage with the club meetings as well. Everyone loves a boss who takes an interest in what inspires them.