10 Ways to Boost Morale
Morale is vital in any organization. Here are 10 ways to relieve stress
among your employees and colleagues. Not all will work in every department,
but you should be able to find an idea or two to help in yours.
- Group lunch. It doesn't have to be at a fancy restaurant. Ordering pizza
or a six-foot submarine sandwich can be just as much fun.
- Humor board. Design 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 a department meeting away from your office.
If it's a nice day, take it outside. Or go to a 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 prizes 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 the money you collect is distributed.
- Humor break. Take turns designating someone to tell a joke or story
during a daily "humor break."
- Snapshots. Bring a camera to work and take candid shots of employees.
Post the photos on your humor board.
- Be cheerful. Be sure to smile and say hello to your co-workers.
- Stay in perspective. Remind yourself and your colleagues that things
aren't as bad as they sometimes seem during the stress of the moment.
