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.

When people think of various generations, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials, there tends to be negative connotations when mixing them together. This is many times a very wrong thought process, as all of these generations have wonderful things to offer one another. This BolingbrookSun article has a humorous take on the changing generations, stating that black flip flops will be considered formal attire in the future. Stating the Millennial generation loves flip flops, and is a great comparison of their mindset when it comes to business.

I found the article funny because I’m one of the older members of the Millennials (25 years old) and I love flip flops. I’d wear flip flops to formal occasions if it was completely acceptable. Hopefully any future wife I have will let me show some toe at the wedding. Why are flip flops great? Because they’re comfortable, let your feet breath and allow faster access when going off and on. This thought can encompass the overall feeling when talking about the workplace with younger generations. So much business is conducted in front of a computer, what’s the point of formal attire?

The paragraph I wrote above is a perfect example of why having various generations is a positive for a company. While I love my flip flops and would wear them to work all the time if possible, older generations see why they can be a negative. Having a perception of professionalism is also a positive, particularly if your company is selling perception to a client. Our generation needs that help, we need older and wiser minds to step in and give us a professional gut check.

If you’re to believe this latest Fidelity Investments study, many generations aren’t so different at all. Generation Y is trending to be more conservative in their views towards careers. Here’s a direct quote from the press release,

“Many young workers surveyed (41%) say the economic crisis has made their generation more conservative, which is reflected in not only their financial decisions, but also their employment choices. More Gen Y individuals today show a reluctance to “job hop” with one in four indicating the intent to remain with a current employer until retirement, up from 14 percent of those surveyed in early 2008.”

There are of course various factors which drive that mindset. The economic downturn probably affected every generation’s mindset when it came to jobs, retirement, and finances.

At the end of the day, human nature is still the bond that links us all. Young, old, Gen Y, Baby Boomers, the factors that have driven good business and employee management are seen as much today as was in 1959. Showing respect, having admiration for your employees, and utilizing strong management skills are the tools of success no matter which generation you’re dealing with.

I’m about to unleash some honest and scary news on you. Are you ready? An employee of yours is on a social networking service, for personal reasons using company time. EGADS! Using a company’s time to engage in one’s social life can be a serious matter. Instead of banging your head against the wall, trying to fight the tide – embrace it.

I’m not telling you to let your employees run free to constantly talk to their friends. However, when communicating throughout the office try using a social media platform. This will keep you engaged with your employees and can help your monitor their own usage. Start a Facebook group and have employees communicate with each other and you through the group.
With the wide assortment of social media apps out there, using a social media service for direct communication is a more plausible idea than before.

‘Recruiting Talent’

I had a friend who was a manager, and he always told me the hardest thing to do in a business was hiring someone new. Firing people, while difficult in an emotional sense, is a decision a bit easier to make than hiring. When you’re interviewing a potential employee, it takes savvy to decide if they’re right for the job or not. Then you have people who falsify resumes, so there’s tons of leg work when hiring a new employee.

Social Media can provide a huge boost in the hiring process. I don’t recommend using Facebook because it’s a more personal service. LinkedIn and Twitter are great places to scout potential talent. I recommend starting with LinkedIn because it’s a professional based site. Some people use the site as a huge resume, and point to it when searching for potential employers. Finding proof of prior employment can be conducted using LinkedIn as well.

Twitter is a viable option, you just have to know what you’re getting into when searching for a potential employee. First, some are complete dunces when it comes to using Twitter. Which in itself can be a good way to weed out someone for not fitting the bill for a potential position.

When you think of what you want to streamline in your company, it’s best to start with your least efficient areas. This can be hard to do because you don’t want to admit inefficiencies in your company. There are so many ways to improve though, that it’s vital to admit these problems.