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

Federal agencies improving work/life balance, setting precedent for private sector

A number of federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), are implementing new programs to improve work/life balance issues for the thousands of workers they employ.

Earlier this month, three federal department and agency heads, including OPM Director John Berry, met to discuss how to improve the work environment within each organization.

Berry, who said that he would give the OPM’s current work/life balance programs a “generous” grade of D+, is working with the Interior Department and the General Services Administration (GSA) to create a set of model programs for the 7,000 employees at the agencies’ neighboring headquarters.

“Establishing work/life programs and creating a better work environment is critical, particularly in the public sector, where managers don’t control pay and benefits, Berry says.” (Workforce)

Berry started by setting up “The Wolf Pack,” a group of 12 employees to give insight into what work/life balance issues the OPM workforce is most concerned with.

Among the list of top priorities is providing day care for employees’ parents and expanding the OPM health clinic. OPM has since devoted $300,000 in upgrades to the clinic. He is also working to expand and broaden the organization’s telework program, of which 34% of OPM employees already participate in.

“Experts believe that if Berry’s programs are successful, not only will other federal agencies adopt them, but private employers will as well, as they realize they need such programs to compete for talent.” (Workforce)

Read more about the OPM’s work/life balance initiatives in their recent press release: Four Federal Agencies Combine Forces To Create a Model Federal Work-Life Campus.

Federal agencies improving work/life balance, setting precedent for private sector

What does happiness in work look like?

Is there a formula for finding happiness in our work?

Many have tried to explain it, but few have been able to create a clear picture of the road to happiness.

Among those creative few stands Bud Caddell, author of the blog What Consumes Me. Earlier this month, he put his idea of what happiness in business looks like in a Venn diagram:



As someone who has been working at start-ups and small businesses since he was 14 years old, Caddell was able to put what he learned over the years into a beautifully crafted diagram.

Caddell’s idea of happiness in work is based on three overlapping factors: what we do well, what we want to do and what we can be paid to do.

Find all three and ‘Hooray!’ you’ve got happiness.

Or is it that simple?

Take a look at Caddell’s full blog post and read his tips for finding your way to the ‘Hooray!’ point. Then come back and let us know what you think of Caddell’s happiness formula.

How do you find happiness in work?

What does happiness in work look like?