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ZDNET Highlights
- Most organizations struggle with low employee morale.
- Effective business leaders take a personal approach.
- They constantly engage and share long-term goals.
Research shows that many professionals feel lonely and isolated at work. as many as 81% of organizations are struggling with low employee moraleResearch from Opinium from tech firm Celonis shows more than a quarter (27%) of senior executives believe worker stress reduces productivity.
Business leaders who want to meet goals must ensure that their employees are satisfied at work and happy with the challenges that lie ahead. So, how can managers maintain employee morale when people are flagging? Five business leaders gave us their top tips.
1. Give people a great vision
Sacha Vaughn, chief supply chain officer at homewares maker Joseph Joseph, said maintaining team morale is about understanding individuals.
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach,” he said. “Different things inspire and distract people.”
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Vaughn told ZDNET that one of the great things about modern leadership is that it’s a focused task. Successful leaders focus people’s attention on the biggest bang per dollar over the long term, not the disruption in the moment.
“If you can do it effectively, it excites people because they’re not bothered by day-to-day issues,” he said.
“Great managers say, ‘Here’s the line of sight to what we’re trying to accomplish, see what you’re doing, see how important your role is, and see how exciting the project is.'”
Vaughan also said it is important to celebrate successes.
“I know everyone says this, and it’s probably cliché, but you need to look at how much you’ve accomplished. You need to say, ‘This is phenomenal, and we could only do this with a talented team,'” she said.
“So, building morale is about identity, balance, focus and painting the picture to make sure people are on the same journey. As a leader, you must make sure everyone has a voice at the table.”
2. Lead your staff by example
As the most senior executive in his department, Fausto Fleites, vice president of data intelligence at ScottsMiracle-Gro, said he is willing to do anything for his team.
“I don’t expect everyone on my team to do what I do, because it’s hard,” he said. “What I do for my team is that I expect high commitment, but I lead by example. I’m the one who is most committed and they follow.”
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Fleites told ZDNET that his team values this approach because they recognize his experience and value his guidance.
“In many cases, they know what it takes to be successful and I work with them to achieve those goals,” he said.
“That’s how I keep my team motivated, and I show them that you need to commit to a goal. I don’t expect them to commit as much as I do, but I lead them by example, and they really value that commitment.”
3. Stay connected with people constantly
Kenny Scott, data governance consultant at energy specialist EDF Power Solutions, said business leaders should pay attention to employee concerns.
“Listen to them and find out what’s going on,” he said. “You can’t do that by just throwing a tantrum one day and saying, ‘Okay, you’re a little sad.’ Success is about consistency.”
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Scott told ZDNET that success lies in connecting with employees. Don’t just talk about your preferences; Instead, listen to them.
“Have some space in your diary at least once a month to talk, and not just about what you’re working on and about your tasks, but to say, ‘How are you, and what are your ambitions? Do you see yourself staying with the company? If you’re not with the company, how can we help you get to where you need to be? Because if I help you, there’s a good chance that you Will acquire those skills and stay with us anyway,” he said.
“If it gets to the point that someone is leaving or is having mental health problems or even physical problems, by that point it’s too late. Engagement should happen from day one, when they start working for your company.”
4. Show what you value as a manager
Dave Roberts, vice president of environmental health safety at The Heico Companies, suggested that it is important to recognize that people will perform at their best when they are happy in their roles.
“If you have people who can’t handle positions, you have to bring them into roles that are more suitable for them, because if you have people who are underperforming it will bring the whole team down,” he said.
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Roberts told ZDNET that maintaining morale doesn’t just mean focusing on those who are struggling.
Effective leaders also highlight high performers and their work to show lower performing employees how to succeed.
“You have to recognize the people who are doing the right things and promote them so that everyone realizes that as a leader you value that.”
5. Share destination
Gro Kamfjord, head of data at paint maker Jotun, said business leaders should find ways to build team spirit, potentially through unusual activities outside the workplace.
“I believe in doing things as a team,” she said. “Meet in different areas and solve things, like in an escape room activity, where you just do something different and collaborate on tasks, but not in your area of expertise. This approach really helps – letting people have fun together.”
Back in the office, Kampjord told ZDNET that great project managers play a vital role in maintaining team morale throughout an initiative.
Their team has modernized their data infrastructure using technology from Informatica and Snowflake with a new cloud-based data hub that enables rapid growth and provides a platform for AI exploration.
He said, “I remember that during the migration, we left the shore, but we could not see where we started, and we had not yet reached the point where we could see the end. We were all just focusing on many tasks.”
“However, we had a great project manager who kept us focused on how much we accomplished. We knew things were happening around us, and by the end of the project, we knew we were reaching the destination.”
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