Morale is the sheer definition of a thriving business workplace. The more you work at improving morale, the better the work output, the more productive the staff, and the better the environment will be for everyone to work in. There are many ways to create a workplace environment that is very simple and effective. Some can result in additional business costs, and some are the by-product of a proactive working atmosphere.
Either way, the tactics you need to employ have to vary, or they need to result in the thing you need, productivity. This is especially prudent when working to a strict deadline. If you are an entrepreneur in a startup, you need to meet targets so the business can gain bigger traction. For this reason, it is imperative that all hands are on deck and everyone is working to their strengths.
Some morale boosters during project deadlines are as simple as giving sufficient breaks. People need downtime to recharge their batteries, and if they are working 12 hours every day, they will need to find some way to get out of “work mode.” This is where a chill-out space comes in handy. Your staff needs to not think about deadlines because the pressure can result in a hampered performance. Studies have shown that people are more productive when having quality break times. This means they are able to block out the pressures for a small period of time and come back to the fore renewed and ready.
Especially in a tense environment where people are rushing to make the deadline, people need a mental break. Having Netflix or a streaming service is a cheap way to invest in staff downtime. Or if finances are tight, which they can be in smaller companies and startups, MovieBox for iPhone and iPad is the best app if you’re looking for a free option for the staff that are working incredibly late or pulling an all-nighter. You need to find the balance between being productive and having enough downtime. There is a lot of information around on the work/life balance, and that is mainly because most people have difficulty in striking the balance. Project deadlines mean that all sense of work/life balance can go right out the window, but it is possible.
The other important booster for morale comes from you. As the person in charge, you are, in essence, dictating the overall atmosphere of the business. If you are angry, people will work quietly, and if you are dynamic and personable, this reflects in your staff. Think about how you are presenting yourself to your colleagues. Does the approach of “do what I say, not as I do” work anymore? In a word, no.
You are the benchmark or the baseline of your company, and you must set a good example for employees to follow. If your staff are putting in 12 hour days and you are not, what is that communicating to them? You are not willing to get involved. Transparency in a company is the key to fruitful working relationships, which gets tested during strict deadlines. So, look after them.
