Sarah M. Denio Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute February 18, 2000
What is morale? Can it be measured? If so, how? And what if it is measured and discovered to be low�what then? Can it be improved? If so, how? These are some of the many questions and concerns which make the concept of morale so difficult to grasp. Despite the disparity in understanding of these issues, one fact remains�the employees of successful organizations tend to have high morale, and unsuccessful organizations can often attribute their lack of success to a deficiency in this vital category of employment.
All organizations should aspire to improve morale, whether everything appears to be functioning stupendously, or there are clear indications that change is needed. However, before we can learn how to improve morale in an organization, we must understand what it is.
Morale may be defined in several ways. It may be thought of as an emotional attitude. Webster�s Dictionary (1969) defines morale in the following ways:
1.) moral principles, teachings, or conduct;
2.) the mental and emotional attitude of an individual to the function or tasks expected of him[/her] by his[/her] group and loyalty to it;
3.) a sense of common purpose with respect to a group;
4.) a state of individual psychological well-being based on factors such as a sense of purpose and confidence in the future .
We could end the discussion of why morale is essential in any effective organization right there. Loyalty, psychological well-being, purpose and confidence in the future�this definition embodies characteristics we strive for in our everyday lives, and therefore in our work. The word morale epitomizes what we pursue so fervently in our careers. We need it for ourselves, and strive to inspire and teach it in the organizations by which we are employed.
Knowing what morale is does little for us if we do not know how to assess it. In order to improve morale in an organization, it is essential to understand the factors or circumstances under which the organization is currently operating, and consequently improve upon these circumstances. There are several means by which morale may be measured. Firstly, morale may be assessed by analyzing company records for changes or patterns in resignations, lateness, absenteeism, productivity, and complaints (Beng & Hickey, 1984). This is a time-consuming and costly method. It relies on the recognition of changes that have occurred in the past within the organization.
Morale may also be analyzed by interviewing employees using prepared questions or by simply allowing employees to speak freely about their feelings and opinions regarding the organizations current state of affairs (Beng & Hickey, 1984). This method is much more subjective, but less time consuming. Lastly, morale may be investigated through use of anonymous questionnaires administered to groups of employees. Use of such questionnaires allows for more systematic collection and analysis of data.
Now that we have established what morale is and how it may be measured, it is both logical and imperative to clarify its role in organizations. Without this essential linkage of morale to the bottom line, many managers may fail to comprehend the utility of morale for success, and therefore not capitalize on its insatiable potential for enhancing productivity and employee satisfaction. Realistically, there are few other efforts an organization can undertake that have the potential to have such a widespread impact on an organization�s functioning. Productivity has been demonstrated to be intrinsically tied to worker morale (Jolivette, 1998). A happy worker is a productive worker and an organization that is productive has a higher likelihood of being successful. Therefore it follows that improving morale may be utilized as one means of improving productivity.
Morale has also been linked to turnover and absenteeism, two of the evils with which organizations often find themselves in constant battle. Having high morale means creating a workforce that feels valued in their work. Workers who feel valued are then more disposed to value the work they do, and the organization for which they do it. Therefore, increasing morale can lower both absenteeism and turnover as well. It is also important to investigate morale because it is much better to find out how employees are feeling before someone expresses dissatisfaction. Doing so generates an air of concern for the well-being of employees and allows management to extinguish any potential problems before they have the opportunity to develop into major, often costly troubles. Now that some of the benefits of improving morale have been established, what is left to distinguish is how to go about doing it! The methods and strategies which may be utilized for improving morale are innumerable. They range from learning to use simple key phrases to complete physical restructuring of workspaces. They may incorporate tangible factors like food and money as well as less concrete facets such as time, learning, and culture. Morale boosting techniques can be implemented in almost any aspect of the work environment. There are several more �traditional� practices which may be utilized for improving morale. These include methods such as increasing employee recognition and involvement, fostering communication and a sense of belongingness and ownership within the organization, providing opportunities for education and personal development, and creating a physically comfortable work environment.
According to Smith (2000), research has shown that the number one reason people quit their jobs is that they feel they are not recognized and appreciated for their work. As the saying goes, �Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.� Employees will never treat customers better than they are treated themselves. As stated by Smith, �Reward and recognition are not just something nice to do. The goal is to create a work environment that attracts, keeps, and motivates employees to stay with you�� When workers feel that the organization they work for genuinely cares about them, they are much more motivated, they are much more productive, and plainly, they are much better employees.
Recognizing employees can be much easier than many organizations often realize. According to Wardell (1999), when asked what three things managers could do to keep them working for the organization, employees responded �Say hello, thank you, and please.� It is important for managers to remember that the people who work for them are their customers. They are the ones who will ultimately decide whether or not the organization will be effective and successful. Simple expressions of recognition and gratitude can make a major difference in whether or not employees perceive that they are valued the their organization. Another cost-free method of recognition that can be very effective is providing feedback to employees. It is important to let employees know where things stand both on a personal level within the organization as well as how they fit into the entire scheme of the organization as a whole. Some methods managers may utilize for doing this include holding one-on-one meetings with employees, holding joint staff meetings, sending group e-mails, taking employees on a company retreat, and creating a company newsletter. Workers love to hear how they are doing, and even if the feedback is not all positive, they will most often be open to initiating improvements, provided that good feedback is offered with the bad, and criticism is presented constructively.
Other more formal methods of recognizing employees include peer recognition programs and focusing on the rewards that employees value. Peer recognition programs give employees the power to reward each other and have proven to be very successful means of boosting morale. The success of peer recognition programs may be attributed to the employees� knowledge of who works hard and deserves recognition, coupled with the fact that workers usually value each other�s influence more than their supervisor�s pressure. These factors may lend more significance to reception of a reward.
This leads us to another effective means of recognition�recognizing employees with rewards they really want and value. Managers can survey employees and create a list of rewards, big and small, that individuals indicate are of great value to them. The diversified workforces of today may constitute people from a wide range backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, races, genders, and so on. Accordingly, these people may have varying interests, and dissimilar rewards that they value. To the extent that an organization recognizes this factor, it will be more successful in providing rewards that employees are driven to work toward, employ a happier, more content workforce, and the end result will be a more effective and productive organization.
Fostering communication and allowing employees to gain a sense of belonging and ownership of their work within the organization is another great way of improving morale. To do so, it is important for managers to set a good example. As stated by Bishop (1997), �a solution to the problem of meeting organizational needs�lies in a complete rethinking of traditional management practices. Managers need to abandon their role as controllers, decision-makers, and problem solvers, and hand over responsibility�and authority�to employees.� In doing so, employees learn to gain a sense of autonomy in their work. They learn that their organization trusts and respects them, enough so to put faith their capacity to do well for the company.
A manager can also set a good example by not being afraid to roll up his/her sleeves and pitch in when need arises. Here, a manager has the opportunity to demonstrate that he/she does not consider him/herself to be �above� his/her subordinates, that they are all a team and should function as one. The manager may also capitalize on such an opportunity as a way to get to know the employees and see what they do from a different perspective. Providing opportunity for learning and personal development is another major way organizations can demonstrate that they care about their employees and boost morale. According to Veninga (2000) forty percent of American workers say they are bored with their jobs. They feel their talents are not being sufficiently utilized. There are several ways organizations can combat this.
The first and most direct way to avoid this morale-deflater is simply to ask employees if they feel they are working to their potential. Many workers may indicate that they are content with their current level of exertion. They may be afraid of what the manager may ask them to do (although it really depends on the current level of morale in the organization�how much the employees trust that the manager and the organization will provide them with more interesting work and reward them for completing it). Some employees will acknowledge that they are not working to their full potential, and these are the workers that you want to find. Provoke these people who love a challenge, give them more responsibility, and reward them for it. They will thank you in the long run and the organization will benefit from the increased productivity and consequential increase in morale.
Another way to provide opportunities for learning is to cross-train employees. People are more motivated when they are learning something new, and having workers educated about others jobs makes them better able to help one another when the need arises.
A final traditional method of improving morale involves the physical work environment. According to Jolivette (1998), lighting, temperature, and noise are three of the most crucial factors influencing morale. Subtle factors such as these can have a definite impact on how employees function. Although these are not problems as likely to be brought to the attention of managers, they should not be overlooked. When the lighting in the work environment is too much or too little, or noise is excessive, it can be difficult for workers to concentrate. Employees may overcome such distractions, but it can be taxing on the nerves andoften leaves them with negative emotions�feelings of annoyance and exhaustion. Therefore it is best to take these factors into account and deal with them as best possible.
New work-stations are great morale boosters. They may be designed to better suit the needs of the employees and can help motivate employees to want to come to work. However, even if the organization cannot afford to completely reconstruct its work environment, measures may be taken to make it as comfortable and pleasant as possible for employees. Noise reduction instruments may be purchased to place on the desks of employees whose work-stations are located in particularly noisy areas. Employees should be encouraged to take out a light bulb if necessary to make their work area more pleasant. Likewise, extra lighting sources can be purchased by the organization or brought in by employees in the case of too little lighting. Any feasible improvements employees feel they can make to their work environment should be encouraged and supported by the organization.
Described thus far have been some of the traditional methods of improving morale within organizations. Now, we will discuss briefly the newer, more creative, innovative, strategies organizations have been trying�with some very successful results! There has been a new trend and wave of organizations focusing on food as a means of improving morale in their organizations. For example, gourmet food is being served in the employee cafeterias of some organizations. For those organizations who take a liking to this idea but cannot quite foot the bill for such extravagance, a caterer may be hired to come in once a week and cook the employees favorite meals. Still other organizations have put a different spin on these ideas, providing meals for employees to take home at the end of the day. Yet another idea which has the employees� interests (and stomachs!) at heart is that of having fully furnished kitchens at the workplace, with complimentary soup, coffee and tea available to employees during the day. While serving as great morale boosters, these services are also beneficial to the organization as more employees stay at work for their meal breaks, thus increasing productivity. Also, having a common eating area (with good food that the employees are happy to eat) may foster open communication and cohesion among departments of the organization that may otherwise not be experienced.
Another novel idea for improving morale undertaken by some organizations is that of contracting a professional masseuse to come in to the organization to give employees massages on a monthly basis. This service is usually provided for a modest cost of approximately five dollars or so to the employee, with the organization footing the remainder of the bill. Massages are a wonderful tension reliever and a service for which employees may not otherwise have the time or funding. Other inventive means of boosting morale include the following:
1. Hanging street sign to name isles in a cubicle set-up;
2. Using color, as opposed to the traditional black, white, and grays, in furnishing the office building;
3. Designing logos or themes for assignments;
4. Increasing the amount of natural light in the work environment; and
5. Using a �Praising Pad� of post-it notes in an odd color to write down and acknowledge work well done�hang these around the office.
Regardless of the means utilized to achieve it, improved morale can be invaluable to organizations. Positive results are almost inevitable when organizations invest in their employees. As we tend to spend the majority of our daylight hours at work, it appears brighter days may be waiting for us not too far ahead. It is hopeful that more organizations will realize the importance and utility of such investments soon.
References
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Arnold, William & Plas, Jeanne. (1993). The Human Touch: Today�s most unusual program for productivity and profit. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.: New York.
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Bishop, Sue. (1997). The Complete Guide to People Skills. Gower Publishing Limited: Vermont.
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Smith. (2000). Well-chosen words of praise can keep staff from straying. New Orleans City Business, Vol. 20(28), p. 19.
Vatcher, Cheryl. (1999). What�s next? Massages to boost employee morale. Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigerating News, Vol. 208(16), p. 6
Veninga, Robert L. (2000). Inspire your employees. Vital Speeches of the Day, Jan. 15.
Wardell, Charles. (1999). Building frontline morale: A checklist. Harvard Management Update, Vol. 4(5), p. 6.
