Creative Ways to Boost Workplace Spirit

The atmosphere of a workplace environment can make a world of difference for employees. Breaking up the regular monotonous minutia of the employee's day is a worthwhile endeavor, and one of the fastest ways to show appreciation to your employees is by feeding them. Think of the old company towns and how they made sure all of their employees' needs were met within that town. If you don't know the history of company towns then you can google it. The employees stayed in that town as long as they were provided for by that company. I think a good way to start is a surprise lunch from a sandwich shop. Just do random appreciation days for various departments in the workplace. It doesn't have to be expensive just stop and buy some doughnuts, bagels or cookies. This little act can lift the spirit of a workplace.

The overall goal is to increase productivity while increasing workplace morale. There are some old fashioned ideas that can be implemented in the workplace. The mainstay of the cardboard suggestion box is a good resource to add. Employee health fairs are a good start to show your employees that you care. Believe it or not, adding music to the workplace without disturbing the environment is a small adjustment that makes time fly by during the day. This is okay as long as it's not a job that requires hearing (like a forklift driver. the music would need to be soft enough to be relaxing, but we are not talking rap, hard rock type music. I think another way to do a playlist would be disco Friday. If you want to have some fun, give out prizes for the best costume. It does not have to be Halloween for a costume party. I think you can mix it up with eighties Monday where they can dress up like Miami Vice or eighties attire.

The other idea is you could celebrate employee milestones with a certificate or plaque. This would depend on how long someone has been on the job. There are always one or two employees that everyone likes. So, with that being said you should let the employees vote on it. Employees should be awarded at the end of the fiscal year with a good attendance bonus. Especially if it has been a bad flu season or inclement weather, and they still managed to make it work.

There are endless ways that a workplace can be upgraded. Even just a simple addition of mats to stand on so the back and legs do not get so tired could help. The adjustment of hours in the workplace can make a tremendous impact on productivity. Introducing half-day Fridays or half-day Mondays once a month would boost morale. When people know that they have a goal to meet before time winds down, they speed up. Thus, working less makes you more productive. The problem is that people believe the opposite of this spectrum.

Longer hours do not equate to more production and it is a big old fashioned myth. People used to think that putting in a long day's worth of work meant that you were giving the company your all. This notion has now been tossed aside, as many people with the advances made in technology can work faster not harder. Millennials know this, and I think the technology advances made to help workflow better helps morale as well. Another thing is the duality of employee benefits such as maternity leave for a male and female. Some companies are implementing these things as we go into future scenarios.

Employers have to take into account that some fathers may want to stay home a couple of weeks while their wife recuperates. This can show employees the company cares for their employees and make people feel as though they're not just another number. This enhances the company's reputation. No one wants to work where others hate it.

Lewis Robinson
