5 Ways to Improve Workplace Morale (and Boost Productivity!)

Your employees are just as important to your business as what you're selling. Your workforce has a direct impact on customer satisfaction, sales, and your organization's competitive ranking.

That said, even the best employees can be unproductive at times. It's up to you to increase employee morale and performance. To help you accomplish this, we've put together five tips you can use to improve workplace morale and boost productivity.

1. Give your team a reason to believe in your business

You know that your workplace is different from the competition. But do your employees know that? Corporate events can give your team a reason to believe in the work they're doing. Consider hosting a company service project, a fundraising competition, a volunteering event, or a community garden. Your employees will feel inspired to come into work knowing they're part of something bigger.

2. Regularly recognize your employees for a job well-done                   

Your workers put a lot of time and effort into the work they do. If they didn't, you wouldn't have hired them and they certainly wouldn't still be with your business. But as their employer, you need to make sure that you're recognizing their hard work. You wouldn't want a sports coach silently standing on the sidelines. Positive reinforcement tells your employees to keep doing what they're doing. Without it, they have no direction and you'll start to see them slipping in productivity.

3. Don't be afraid to get weird (but not too weird)                    

The quirky aspects of your business and your company culture is what makes it a fun place to be. You don't want to make your office a place that your employees dread. Do something out of the ordinary that helps to liven things up. Have a post-it war. Place googly-eyes on the office's statement plant. Start your meetings with something unexpected. The key here is to embrace your office's inner-weirdness in a way that's fun and relieves tension.

4. Revamp your workspace            

You've heard the phrase "dress for success." Now apply that phrase to your workplace. Is the space itself dressed for success? Workplace morale and productivity can drop when your team doesn't feel like they're working in a professional setting. Create designated seating areas where your team can speak to clients, or where they can talk to each other. Incorporate creativity in spaces that demand creativity. Declutter cluttered areas and make workspaces easy to access and navigate. Make sure your entire office is accessible to those with disabilities. When your workspace is dressed for success, so is your team.

5. Bring in the plants

There's a reason why millennial employees have started bringing more greenery into the workplace. Hint: it isn't because people between the ages of 25 and 40 have greener thumbs. The presence of plants are scientifically proven to boost our moods, especially those that are green, round, and leafy. Plants improve productivity, fuel creativity, relieve stress, and even clean the air (which means fewer potential sick days). Just be sure to invest in pollen-free plants.

The key takeaway from these points is to be appreciative and caring towards your team. Recognize them and reward them for their hard work. When the way your employees feel about their jobs and where they work improves, their productivity and morale will improve too.