There’s a movie I saw recently that encapsulates the way most people feel about the job market, ‘Up in the Air’. In the future, I think this will be the film we all look back on to catch a glimpse of how the first 21st century decade looked. I won’t go into all the details, but one aspect of the movie which caught my eye was the aspect of firing people and their reactions to it. Which in many ways is directly correlated with employee morale.

How does one go about keeping the spirits up of their employees in such a turbulent climate? It’s definitely no small feat, and like so many aspects of life, there’s no concrete answers. Referencing ‘Up in the Air’ again, I thought something that was genius is how the movie captured why people are so greatly affected by being fired. One would think it’s the money, which plays a big part but that’s not the entire equation. The idea of loyalty, security, and family are what makes being fired, or even firing someone so hard. It’s no coincidence that these same ideas are so important to employee morale.

Before diving into this, it should be stated that sometimes employee morale is beyond your control. Unforeseen factors can always rear their head, sometimes bringing higher morale, but may lower it. Instead of worrying about these factors, it’s best to simply focus on what you can do.

As someone who’s been on both ends of being an employee and manager, it all comes down to honesty. Nothing kills the morale of a business faster than when employees feel as though they’re being led around by their nose. Also, it’s not a simple enough situation to simply “not lie”, as sometimes being silent is just as hurtful as making up something. The reason for this is because uncertainty is much more of a defining state of mind then actually knowing bad news. The bigger the company, the more important honesty becomes, as it’s easier for the truth to surface. Then you have to put up with employees who think you’re a liar, or at best someone who keeps information from them.

We all want more money. There’s probably very few people in this world who would turn down a million dollars. The reason for this is because money is a tool, one which provides security for everyone in the world. Some become overly greedy for it, but for the most part, people are obsessed over it because it sustains their way of living. Extrapolate that feeling even more if the person has a family. Therefore, when regarding employee morale always remember why money is important. Sometimes you have to make cuts, but if you do so, try and give something back through either better benefits or maybe a small end-of-the-year bonus.

I took a business class in college that taught me a lesson I’ll never forget. The one factor which turns an ample company into one which goes above and beyond is — love. Many don’t equate love to business, but for those who work for a company they love, you’ll not find a better employee. So many beneficial factors come from love: loyalty, respect, happiness. Getting employees to love their work and company is no small feat. Something to remember from a management standpoint, is to be accessible. Always be involved with your employees, and try to instill a feeling of dedication into them.

Climbing the arduous mountain of morale isn’t easy. Many times you can do your best, and employees will still be dissatisfied. Always try to fight the battles you think you can win. Beating your head against the wall, trying to devise a solution isn’t healthy from any aspect. Good luck.

This entry was posted on Monday, January 11th, 2010 at 12:22 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About the Author: John is a staff writer for WebProNews.