Charlotte Beeley is a solicitor working in the Employment Department at MLP Law Limited, she regularly sees examples of how important good morale is in the workplace. She shared some suggestions on how to keep levels high within your workplace with the members of the Bowdon Business Club:
Feeling sociable – top tips for a friendlier workplace
Keeping morale high amongst your employees is key to maintaining high productivity in the workplace. It is also crucial to instilling loyalty in your best employees and retaining them within your business for the long term. We’ve therefore set out below some useful suggestions for how you can boost morale within your business by making it a more sociable and friendly place to work:
1. Regular after work events:
These are a great opportunity for colleagues to interact in an informal setting. The key is to maximise the number of attendees by making the events inclusive to all. This means varying the types of events so they’re not just the same old nights in the pub each time, which may not be suitable or attractive to all employees. Cinema trips, meals out and ten pin bowling are some fairly easy examples, but get creative – the more interesting and unique the event the better!
2. Formal events:
The annual Christmas party or summer barbeque is a great time to allow colleagues to socialise together, as well as to reward them for their hard work throughout the year. Depending on the nature of the event, allowing employees’ families to join the fun may also be appreciated by your employees.
3. Away days and team building exercises:
This is a perfect way to boost teamwork within specific departments or across the business as a whole. Not only can they be a lot of fun, they can also help improve communication amongst employees and are a great way for colleagues to get to know each other better. If nothing else, a day out of the office is always likely to boost morale! Possible activities include assault courses, escape rooms or orienteering.
4. Welcome and birthday lunches:
Employees who are made to feel welcome when they join or who know that their colleagues care about their personal celebrations are more likely to feel that they are a valued member of the team. Lunches out on special occasions or when new colleagues join the team are therefore an easy opportunity to demonstrate just how great a place to work your business is.
5. Workplace awards and competitions:
If your employees are competitive by nature, why not use this as an opportunity to boost morale in the workplace? Regular or annual employee awards can be used to motivate staff throughout the year and the friendly competition will help employees to engage each other in good natured challenges. Silly award categories in particular can also encourage employees have a laugh together – but keep the categories good natured to avoid any possible tears!
Karaoke competitions at office parties, workplace bake off competitions and fun runs are some other examples of how friendly competition in the workplace can be used as a positive way to build employment relationships.
6. Corporate social responsibility (CSR):
Many businesses also formalise their charitable activities by naming one or more official charities to support through fund raising activities. Allowing employees to choose or vote on their preferred charity can also make employees feel more engaged in the process and therefore more motivated to raise money. Dress down days, cake sales and sponsored runs and walks are all classic examples of fund raising activities in the workplace, but the options are endless. Taking part in national events such as Comic Relief of Children in Need is also a good option.
Businesses can also implement formal CSR policies to set out the aims of their CSR activities and allowing employees to participate in formulating the policy is a good way of allowing employees to feel part of something important beyond their normal day to day jobs. Combining CSR activities with other things on this list, such as away days and team building activities, is also another good possibility, with options such as helping out at local volunteer centres being popular amongst many businesses.
As you can see the opportunities for boosting workplace morale are wide and varied. One thing which is clear, however, is that businesses that neglect the social side of the workplace are missing a perfect opportunity to keep their employees motivated and productive.
MLP Law Limited
7 Market St,
Altrincham
WA14 1QE
Contact: Charlotte Beeley
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