How do we re-energize employees while having some fun?  An article with such information compiled by Dori Meinert nicely outlines some great ideas that are easy workplace morale boosters...some are quite creative..the added benefit..they cost very little if anything but sure to have tremendous "return" on performance, attitude and loyalty! 

Some ideas follow but I would recommend you have your employees be creative and decide what they would want to do together...one more way to support and nurture "teamwork"!

Growing flowers while building team relationships

• Buy flower pots for all inclined, allow employees to decorate pots, plan flowers and develop some teamwork activities around keeping the flowers healthy and growing; develop friendly competition such as best decorated pot, best looking flower etc

Purchase unexpected treats

• Hot summer days think about ice cream, popsicles
• Free staff breakfast
• Recognition of special days such as small gifts for those working on mother's/father's day and other holidays that are hard to find people to work

Employee competitions that would be fun

• Create in office golf tournament where teams created golf holes in the office
• Bring in favorite food/recipe and vote on them
• Themed lunches depending on time of year
• Holiday decorating

Community Service Projects

• Create teams to volunteer on their favorite "cause" and represent your organization providing time to do so if during workday
• Collaborate with local social service type agencies to gather the basic needs for those less fortunate such as toiletries, diapers, etc

Random Act of Kindness Days - Pay it Forward 

• The best are often anonymous
• Leave a small gift, coffee, gift card, note...the note should encourage that person receiving the "gift" to do so for someone else..

Unexpected afternoon/day off

 

Celebrate co worker accomplishments

• One idea shared was to have a jar on desks and have co workers put a marble in the jar to acknowledge good work perceived by coworkers; the more marbles in the jar, put the names in for a drawing for something bigger over time
• Catch them in the act...Acknowledge those acts of caring when they happen as well; pick something that would be valued by employees (ie. coffee gift cards etc) and allow managers to give them to any employee they catch supporting the highest of customer relations and going that extra mile when it happens
• Acknowledge those loyal employees who kick in for those that often call in sick by giving them something visible that shows they kick it up a notch when they need to; in this article was a "superhero theme" where a cape with sequence is given to those employees showing this extra effort

Create boards that display positive work situations

• Example in this article was a "Wall of Wow" where notes of thanks, emails, symbolic graphics, metrics, charts, reports, photos and completed sample project documents are displayed
• Make them visible to all who come into the work area

Sweater contest

• I think we have all seen how fun and popular the "ugly Holiday sweater' contests have become
• Depending on the holiday, the prize should be something symbolic such as cookies at Christmas time; pies at Thanksgiving etc.

Regardless of what you choose to do, remember that making the effort to do something throughout the year, not just obvious times of year are key to keeping people engaged and motivated.  It shows you care about them as people, that's more important than anything for all of us.

 

Some other important ways to keep staff motivated are the things I always focus on such as:

• Employee engagement in decision making
• Employee performance evaluations, objective, timely and consistent
• Employee communications that are clear, transparent, respectful
• Ensuring their job descriptions are clear, functional and up to date
• Ensuring policies, procedures, work rules are clearly written and well understood
• Opportunities for regular meetings, employee meetings should be a priority, not just if you can fit them in
• Avoid cancelling meetings with staff...show they are important by keeping to their meeting times
• Role model what you expect
• Regularly support and reward behaviors that you want to see

Effective Leadership

Leaders who are effective are those that understand the value of employees.  While strong positive client relations are the goal, such positive results are impossible without ensuring your staff, who are handling your clients, are content, feel valued and motivated to make you look good!