Office feeling a little ho-hum? Wrap up the gift of employee morale

Between planning a cross-country vacation to visit Aunt Judy or navigating the nearest mega-mall for last-minute gifts, many employees find their focus dropping faster than the needles on a Fraser fir during the holiday season.

The floundering economy has many a staff crying, “Bah! Humbug!”, as well. Whether it’s due to weak, year-end sales or the company being forced to cancel the annual holiday extravaganza, employee morale may be in a slump. From G.Neil’s HR Library of interesting, insightful HR articles, I bring you some tips to boost employee morale during the holidays and keep energy levels high well into the new year:

Food. Food has a magical way of bringing employees together and putting everyone in a good mood. Throughout the year and especially during the holiday season, get employees together by holding bake sales for charity, organizing potluck luncheons or simply bringing in a bag of bagels.

Holiday cards. Business holiday cards are a simple and easy way for companies to show their appreciation for the hard work employees have put in all year long. Remember to go one step further and write a personal, hand-written message on the inside of the card for a special touch.

Compliments. Like a sweet treat, compliments have a way of immediately lifting our spirits and bringing a smile to our face. Encourage supervisors to compliment their employees regularly. It’s a free and easy way to improve employee morale not only during the holidays, but year-round.

Fun. Look for simple ways to lighten the mood at work. Hold whimsical contests, bring in pizza for lunch or make up playful celebrations, like “Favorite Team Jersey Day.” If the weather permits, buy some frisbees or footballs and take the action outside of the office. Keep your ideas simple, get everyone involved and have a good time.

Humor. Bring some laughter back into the office with a fun activity. For example, organize an office-wide event where employees hand out funny awards to coworkers and supervisors. Keep costs low by using common office supplies to create the awards. See how creative employees can get by using what they find in the supply cabinet.

The holidays offer a great opportunity to improve employee morale around the office. All it takes is a little ingenuity and some simple ideas. Don’t wait until January 2nd to get started - get going today!

Office feeling a little ho-hum? Wrap up the gift of employee morale