When It Comes to Motivation and Morale, Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse!

When It Comes to Motivation and Morale, Don't Put the Cart Before the Horse!

Merriam-Webster defines morale as "the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regards to the function or tasks at hand."

Before a company goes about the undertaking of creating an employee motivation or employee incentive program, it would be a wise decision to first study those target employees for an honest evaluation of the morale of the group at large. Having an understanding of the difference between motivation and morale is paramount. Often times lack of morale is the fundamental problem when employees don't feel respected, valued or trusted in an environment that relates to their work.

Here's an example of how a motivational gesture at one company had the complete opposite effect: The Operations Manager of the customer service division of a large company decided to throw a pizza party that was planned during the workday and was meant to be perceived as an incentive. However, when the manager whose office was located right in the general area didn't take the time to join or even acknowledge the event, the employees were actually de-motivated by their manager's lack of attention.

According to Kimberly King, Consultant to InterWeave located in Tampa, FL., "You can have all the money in the world for incentives, but it won't help a bit if you don't create an environment that fulfills employees' needs."

King advises her clients to first review these three important areas:

Physical needs - is there a safe and clean working environment? Are the furnishings and equipment in good working order?

Mental needs - do your employees or agents receive enough training and coaching to do their jobs with confidence?

Emotional needs - do these people have a true sense of belonging and experience positive relationships at work?

When a company takes the time and effort to communicate effectively just what their goals and ambitions are for the future of the business, those employees gain an understanding of the importance of their individual role in the strategy and overall success of their company. Keeping the doors open for communication on a daily basis between employees/agents and their immediate supervisors is the only true reporting process that executive-level management can depend on to stay in touch with their day-to-day operations and general morale of their company.

Want to know the best part of establishing positive morale in the work environment first and then planning motivation programs secondarily? Robust morale is infectious and leads the way to a perfect intro to your future incentive campaigns!

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