HR PRINCIPAL LLC

For many reasons, a tough economy can be as stressful on your remaining employees as it is on those who have been laid off:  survivors guilt, the perception that there is more work for fewer people even if there isn't, a general state of worry about the future of the business. Or maybe someone in their family was laid off.  Some people struggle because they know that changes are coming in your organization that will impact their jobs or their friends, or both. 

There are many reasons that people can be grumpy at work.  Worst case, they are not just grumpy but completely unproductive. 

So, who is responsible for employee morale?

Some people believe that Human Resources is responsible for morale.  Some think that morale is individual and no one can control it. We all like to think it is someone else's job, anyone but us. 

The answer is everyone.  Everyone is responsible for their own morale, and responsible for not ruining the morale of those around them.  But let's be honest, if someone is struggling with morale, they probably either feel powerless to change it, or don't care enough to do anything about it.

If you manage people, you are probably the first thing people think of when they think about their job.

Typically, our manager = The Company.  Many experts have said that when someone quits their job, they are quitting their boss.  So if you are managing people, you may find yourself in the position of trying to manage morale too.  What to do?

The most important thing is communication so don't pretend everything is fine if it isn't. If you did layoffs, talk about it.  Don't promise there won't be more layoffs but tell them whatever you know for sure. If someone is absent, make sure you talk to them as soon as they come back to work.

The good news is that there is lots of information out there that can help you with employee morale. 

Here is a link to an article with some ideas for building morale after layoffs:

http://blogs.bnet.com/teamwork/?p=601&tag=nl.e713 

Here is a link to the Employee Engagement Network:

http://employeeengagement.ning.com/groups 

In my experience, the biggest impact to employee morale comes when employees feel empowered to make an impact, and when they feel valued.  You can find out what might help them by asking them.  If you have an extra room you could let them put together a play/creative room.  The typical "break room" does not have to be typical.

I have a number of programs that I can use to help identify the areas causing problems for your employees.  Contact me today for a consultation.  The sooner we get started, the better for everyone. info@hrprincipal.com