Boost Team Morale: How to Reenergize Your Team

Have you seen the morale of your team dip? We have heard from some of our clients that they are having challenges with the morale on their team. One thing that we have seen in our employee engagement surveys is a dip in communication scores. When we talk to managers, they state they were doing so much communication during COVID; now that we are out of that, they may have also relaxed on the communication. When employees receive a high level of communication, they may make that their new standard and accept nothing less. 

In our survey, we have definitely seen a connection between communication and morale. Good communication goes a long way toward fostering a culture where people feel valued, understood, and are engaged. Below are some tips to help you increase morale and communication on your team.

1. Open Communication: When leaders and team members communicate openly, it builds trust. Trust, in turn, fosters a positive work environment where people feel more valued and comfortable sharing ideas and taking initiative. A lack of communication can lead to misunderstandings and the perception of secrecy, eroding morale. When you get new information, make sure that you communicate it with employees sooner, rather than later.

2. Clarity and Direction: Clear communication is vital for any team. When team members understand their roles, goals, and how their work contributes to the bigger picture, they’re more likely to feel motivated and aligned with the organization’s objectives. This is one reason we suggest that managers review their department goals quarterly as a team, as well as with their employees. When employees are clear on their goals, they are more likely to succeed.

3. Recognition: Regular communication and letting employees know how they are doing is also important to your team’s culture. Recognize achievements and provide constructive feedback on a regular basis—don’t wait for their review. Recognizing employees for their efforts helps them feel appreciated. Make sure you celebrate and acknowledge your team’s successes.

4. Have Difficult Conversations: Nothing erodes morale faster than an employee not contributing to the team and a manager who doesn’t hold them accountable. If you want a cohesive team, you need to have tough conversations and hold your staff accountable to the performance standards and meet their goals. Also, the more cohesive your team is, the higher their sense of belonging and engagement will be. 

5. Practice Listening: Being a good leader means being a good listener, at any level of management. Show that you value others’ input by actively listening to their ideas and concerns. This means giving them your full attention, acknowledging their perspectives, and responding thoughtfully.

6. Over Communicate: Increase the frequency of your communication, particularly during periods of rapid organizational change. Tell your employees what you know, even if you preface it with, “Based on what I know today…but it could change tomorrow.” Telling employees what you know, even if it may be subject to change, helps build trust. On the other hand, withholding information erodes trust levels between management and employees.

7. Check In Frequently: Make sure you check in with your staff on a regular basis, especially if you have a pressing deadline or workloads are higher than normal. Checking in to see how they are doing communicates to them that you genuinely care.

8. Hold Regular Meetings: I know no one wants another meeting on their calendar, but if communication is not flowing, holding a quick meeting to check in with staff and gain status updates helps everyone know what is going on and what is coming down the project line. Regularly scheduled meetings are also good for reviewing goals, updates, and communication decisions or changes. 

Effective communication is essential for morale and fosters a culture of trust, clear goals, recognition, and belonging. Implementing the tips above can help you improve the communication and morale on your team as well as lead to high levels of engagement.