Stella Smith offers some top tips for boosting the morale of your teams.

Thinking about our people’s morale is a bit like going to the gym - we know it’s important, but it’s always easy to find more urgent things to do.  Everyday charities are dealing with a mass of issues, addressing some of society’s most complex problems while managing funding cuts and responding to hostile press coverage. Is it any wonder then that staff morale is not at the top of the task list…?

But we neglect morale at our peril.  Low morale has long been recognised as a major factor affecting productivity and effectiveness. It leads to more mistakes, higher turnover and absenteeism.  Low morale will slowly but surely dissolve the drive and energy we need to bring about social change.  We become tired and overwhelmed by the difficulties we should be addressing. It slows us down, costs us money and weakens the effectiveness of our work.

Like looking after our health, maintaining staff and volunteer morale isn’t just a nice-to-have, it is a core part of the leader’s job. So if you’re looking to bring some upbeat energy to your team in 2016, here‘s five top tips to get you started. 

Pay attention    

Perhaps one of the most powerful things you can do is sharpen your observational skills and take an interest. Note the energy: Are colleagues bouncing into work? Is the chat light and spirited?  Or is the atmosphere dull and heavy, laughter a long-distant memory?

People’s everyday behaviour is a much better indication of how they’re really feeling than politely asking ‘how are you?’ Look at the absence rates, people’s body language and the social chat.  People might tell you they’re fine, but these are the real indicators of morale.

If you want a more in-depth understanding, there are a range of surveys and consultants out there who will help. But first and foremost, don’t kid yourself that you’re too busy to find out about staff morale. 

Establish excellent channels of communication

When people feel they can’t speak their mind, they make their views known in many other ways:  a reluctance to participate in team events, drifting into work late, taking long lunches, negative side chat at meetings.  We all know the signs.  This kind of behaviour is rarely commented on, but we notice it.  It permeates the atmosphere and becomes the unwritten norm.  And it undermines morale.

Establish a range of ways that people can get their voices heard. Set up spaces where people can say what they think: e-mail or online comments; staff meetings or working parties; cross-organisational task groups; conferences. All can be incredibly valuable.  

Make sure people are heard and feel heard. Respond honestly and fairly.   And in turn make sure the rationale behind decisions is clearly communicated.  People may not like the decision, but if they can understand the logic and the rationale and feel they have had the opportunity to contribute, then they are much more likely to buy into the plans.  With robust, responsive channels of communication those low-level grumbles dissipate.

Celebrate what matters

Fundraising aside, the charity sector can be woefully slow at celebrating success, preferring to stoically soldier on rather than taking time to congratulate ourselves on achievements.  

Our celebrations tell the world what we value.  They’re an indication of our culture.  Yet too many charities limit celebrations to hitting an income target, how long the charity has been in existence, people leaving and of course the obligatory Christmas party. But are these really indicators of our success?  Take time to think about what really is important and make sure it’s celebrated.  When a service user or client hits a milestone, celebrate it. When staff or volunteers make progress on a particular campaign, advocacy, research or area of service, take time out to acknowledge their success.  It doesn’t need to be a major celebration, but it does need time to remind everyone what really matters and how their everyday work is making a positive impact. 

Get good managers

What makes or breaks a job for most people is the relationship with the person they report to.  They might not like many other aspects of the job but if they know their manager is fair, that they can trust them, then they will enjoy the job.  Good managers are sensitive to the needs of individuals, their teams and the organisation.  They understand how to motivate and communicate the organisation’s plans and objectives in a way that makes sense. Recruit managers who understand the organisation and the people aspects and are excellent communicators. Keep their skills and confidence strong with regular learning and development opportunities. 

Be a leader

Of course underpinning all of this, leaders need to ‘be the change you want to see’.  Develop your personal emotional intelligence and that of the leadership team.  Huge financial investment in good practice will come to nothing if your leadership team is slouching into work, rolling their eyes as the strategy is announced and publicly undermining each other. Role model upbeat energy, a can-do attitude and keep top-team squabbles private.  Create the environment where your staff and volunteers are encouraged to give their best and they’ll reward you by doing just that.

Stella Smith is a charity management consultant and facilitator
www.stellasmith.co.uk

Civil Society Media wishes to thank Stella Smith for her support with this article.

• Civil Society Media will explore a whole plethora of issues around human resources and organisational culture at its second annual People & Culture Conference on 29 September 2016. Register your interest by emailing [email protected].