12 Ways to Boost Morale
Morale is vital in any organization, especially during a recession or any
other crisis. Here are 12 ways to relieve stress among your employees and
colleagues. Not all will work in every single office, but one or two should
help in yours.
- Group lunch. It doesn't have to be at a fancy expensive restaurant.
Ordering pizza or a six-foot submarine sandwich can be just as much fun.
- Humor board. Designate one bulletin board as a place to post cartoons,
jokes humorous photos, etc.
- Cartoon memos. Attach a cartoon or a short joke to any of the more
mundane memos you distribute.
- Off-site meetings. Schedule an office meeting away form your office. If
it's a nice day, take it outside. Or go to restaurant and follow it up with
lunch.
- Special days. Hold an "ugly tie" or "ugly sweater" day, or something
similar that everyone can participate in. Award joke prices for winners.
- Bet on it. Betting pools for well-known events like the Super Bowl, the
Academy Awards, or the Kentucky Derby can generate excitement, and are
perfectly legal as long as all money you collect is distributed.
- Humor break. Take turns designating someone to tell a joke or a story
during a daily "humor break."
- Go to the movies. During lunch breaks, run a funny movie or TV show in
your lunchroom or an empty office.
- Snapshots. Bring a camera to work and get candid shots of employees. Post
the photos on your humor board.
- Be cheerful. Be sure to smile and say hello to your co-workers.
- Flextime. Work out a schedule that allows people to arrive late or leave
early one day every week, or every other week.
- Stay in perspective. Remind yourself, and your colleagues, that things
aren't as bad as they sometimes seem during the stress of the moment.
Source: The Manager's Intelligence Report.
