• Update Availability
  • Contact
  • Login
  • español
  • Login
  • Update Availability
  • Contact
  • español
  • Why Choose QPS?
  • Divisions
  • Locations
  • About
  • Become an Employee Owner
  • The Break Room
  • Events
  • Job Seekers
  • Employers
  • Professional
QPS-ESOP-Logo_white-(1)
  • Career Assistance
  • Locations
  • About
    • Our History
    • Executives
    • Awards
    • Community Involvement
    • Affiliations
    • Press Room
    • Become an Employee Owner
    • Beliefs
    • Video Gallery
    • Mark Immekus - In Memoriam
    • Top Candidates
    • Coronavirus Action Plan
    • Referral
    • Attendance
  • The Break Room
  • Events
  • Job Seekers
    • Why Choose QPS?
    • Divisions
    • Job Seeker FAQ
    • Student Workers FAQ
    • Associate Employee Benefits
  • Employers
    • Working With QPS
    • Divisions
    • QPS Plus
    • Safety Training
    • Employer FAQ
  • Professional
  • Update Availability
  • Contact
  • Login
  • español
  • Career Assistance
  • Locations
  • About
    • Our History
    • Executives
    • Awards
    • Community Involvement
    • Affiliations
    • Press Room
    • Become an Employee Owner
    • Beliefs
    • Video Gallery
    • Mark Immekus - In Memoriam
    • Top Candidates
    • Coronavirus Action Plan
    • Referral
    • Attendance
  • The Break Room
  • Events
help desk software
  • Login
  • Update Availability
  • Contact
  • español
  • Why Choose QPS?
  • Divisions
  • Locations
  • About
  • The Break Room
  • Events
  • Job Seekers
  • Employers
  • Professional
QPS_NOW HIRING lockup_green
  • Job Seekers
    • Why Choose QPS?
    • Divisions
    • Job Seeker FAQ
    • Student Workers FAQ
    • Associate Employee Benefits
  • Employers
    • Working With QPS
    • Divisions
    • QPS Plus
    • Safety Training
    • Employer FAQ
  • Professional
job-seekers-banner-small

Looking for Work?

Apply Now
Low-Morale

Low Employee Morale

Apr 27, 2016

Employee morale influences their perception and attitude towards their job, work environment, team members, management and the company. It affect levels of productivity, collaboration, retention rates and customer service. Addressing low employee morale, like most issues, begins with understanding the cause and identifying the problem. To start, here are six common causes of low employees morale and tips.

Poor and infrequent communication.

The lack of open and honest communication with management can lead to dissatisfaction and frustration when employees feel that their voices and opinions are being ignored. Not only do employers miss out on invaluable ideas, they show a lack of interest and concern about the issues that employees may be dealing with. Essentially, managers are allowing the problems to worsen. Infrequent communication can also cause misunderstandings when team members are left in the dark about updates and changes.

Tip: Demonstrate an openness to questions, feedback and discussions without repercussions. Encourage employees to voice concerns and ideas by giving them options to go about privately discussing issues. In addition, seek opinions and ideas regularly instead of making it an annual occurrence.

Confusion over expectations.

Confusion over what is expected can affect employee performance, output and perception of their value. When guidelines are not made clear, employees may head in a different direction than is intended and it will ultimately lead to a waste of theirs and the company's work time, energy and labor. Additionally, employees may feel uncertain about their responsibilities, team goals and the contributions of their role and efforts. Frustration and insecurity can also arise when they do not know with what criteria they are being evaluated.

Tip: Make job expectations clear early on and for every project. Take time to give proper explanation and training on correct procedures, deadlines and objectives. Also, consistently give feedback.

Lack of respect and recognition.

Poor communication and feedback can make employees feel that they are not respected as an individual and team member or that they are not recognized for their efforts. Although not all employees respond to the same type of recognition, a majority do want some form of acknowledgement in one way or another every once so often - whether that is through a public announcement or a simple word of gratitude. Giving recognition can help employees gain a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work. In contrast, the opposite can lead to a lack of trust and increase uncertainty as employees question their value and work.

Tip: Build a culture of trust and interest of workers by noticing milestones. Celebrate birthdays, weddings and baby showers. Make concern for employees genuine with random acts of kindness through meaningful gestures and consideration for personal upsets with respect to privacy. Additionally, give employees the option to nominate and vote for company activities and rewards.

Unreasonable workload.

Although workloads will fluctuate and team members may be understanding and even willing to shoulder a bit of the stress, prolonged unreasonable workload will cause burnout and frustration - made worse if recognition is scarce. Along with low employee morale and motivation, the pressure will affect employee performance, productivity and interests with their work.

Tip: Allow employees the option of saying no even if it will only allocate the burden to someone else or the manager. Emphasize the importance of time management and encourage members to take lunch breaks to relax and re-boost. Making it possible for employees to achieve work-life balance can only be beneficial to the team in the long run.

Little room for growth and advancement.

Employees may feel boxed in when they feel overqualified for their position or their potential is not fully utilized. An unclear plan for development, limited opportunities for growth or little to no advancement prospects decrease interest, job satisfaction and engagement. Similar to the measure of business and success, employees will like to see their progress or the plans for it. The lack thereof will lead to members seeking new job opportunities outside the company.

Tip: Invest in employees and take an interest in their professional development with tuition reimbursement, allocating appropriate responsibilities and offering projects that will allow employees to utilize and broaden their capacity. Additionally, promote internally and make promotional track records clear.

Replacing and altering goals.

Although delays and upsets are inevitable and understandable, frequently discarding and altering goals can lead to discouragement. Employees will feel a lack of accomplishment when their efforts continuously bear no fruit, especially if they put in a lot of energy and time towards that goal. Discouragement also increases if their previous labor become redundant when new objectives contradict old ones or a goal was close to completion before being overhauled and scrapped.

Tip: Divide long-term goals into benchmarks to show the path and points of completion. Setting short term goals can also help build excitement. Give assignments that can be completed with clear guidelines and a clear indicator of when the task is completed. Assign value and purpose to each project with evident reasons why it support or determine decisions in the goal reaching process.

Other causes for low employee morale include a lack of confidence in job security, uncertain business conditions, the perceived lack of fair compensation and more. Addressing employee morale takes time, genuine concern and effort. Make it a goal to really understand each employee and members of the team in order to effectively boost morale.

Leave a comment Newest on top Oldest on top
Load more comments
avatar
New code

Search Posts

Filter Posts

Job Seekers

  • Using social media in your job search
  • Complete Guide to Mastering the Virtual Interview
  • How to Find a Job in a New City
  • Multitasking at Work
  • How to Ask for a Raise
  • How to Boost Your Productivity
  • How to Handle a Counter Offer
  • Making a gig work
  • How to Leave Your Current Role Without Burning Bridges
  • 4 Ways to Create Your Own Career Success
  • How to Discuss Your Previous Experience in a Job Interview
  • How to Answer Tough Interview Questions
  • Benefits of a side gig
  • National Skilled Trades Day
  • The Benefits of Job Research & Where to Start
  • Going from a passive to active job search
  • Energy Boosting Meals for Work Week Productivity
  • 3 Reasons You Shouldn’t Cancel a Job Interview
  • Reconnecting with your network
  • 4 Ways You’re Scaring Recruiters Away

Employers

  • February’s Job Report: Rate Increases to 3.6%
  • January’s Job Report: Rate Lowers to 3.4%
  • December’s Job Report: Rate Drops to 3.5%
  • November’s Job Report: Rate Remains at 3.7%
  • October’s Job Report: Rate Increases to 3.7%
  • September’s Job Report: Rate Drops to 3.5%
  • August’s Job Report: Rate Increases to 3.7%
  • July’s Job Report: Rate Declines to 3.5%
  • June’s Job Report: Rate Remains at 3.6%
  • May’s Job Report: Rate Remains at 3.6%
  • April’s Job Report: Rate Remains at 3.6%
  • March’s Job Report: Rate Declines to 3.6%
  • February's Job Report: Rate Drops to 3.8%
  • January's Job Report: Rate Rises to 4.0%
  • December's Job Report: Rate Decreases to 3.9%
  • November's Job Report: Rate Drops to 4.2%
  • October's Job Report: Rate Drops to 4.6%
  • The Demographic Drought
  • September's Job Report: Rate Drops to 4.8%
  • August's Job Report: Rate Drops to 5.2%

Archive

  • 2023 March
  • 2023 February
  • 2023 January
  • 2022 December
  • 2022 November
  • 2022 October
  • 2022 September
  • 2022 August
  • 2022 July
  • 2022 June
  • 2022 May
  • 2022 April
  • 2022 March
  • 2022 February
  • 2022 January
  • 2021 December
  • 2021 November
  • 2021 October
  • 2021 September
  • 2021 August
  • 2021 July
  • 2021 June
  • 2021 May
  • 2021 April
  • 2021 March
  • 2021 February
  • 2021 January
  • 2020 December
  • 2020 November
  • 2020 October
  • 2020 September
  • 2020 August
  • 2020 July
  • 2020 June
  • 2020 May
  • 2020 April
  • 2020 March
  • 2020 February
  • 2020 January
  • 2019 December
  • 2019 November
  • 2019 October
  • 2019 September
  • 2019 August
  • 2019 July
  • 2019 June
  • 2019 May
  • 2019 April
  • 2019 March
  • 2019 February
  • 2019 January
  • 2018 December
  • 2018 November
  • 2018 October
  • 2018 September
  • 2018 August
  • 2018 July
  • 2018 June
  • 2018 May
  • 2018 April
  • 2018 March
  • 2018 February
  • 2018 January
  • 2017 December
  • 2017 November
  • 2017 October
  • 2017 September
  • 2017 August
  • 2017 July
  • 2017 June
  • 2017 May
  • 2017 April
  • 2017 March
  • 2017 February
  • 2017 January
  • 2016 December
  • 2016 November
  • 2016 October
  • 2016 September
  • 2016 August
  • 2016 July
  • 2016 June
  • 2016 May
  • 2016 April
  • 2016 March
  • 2016 February
  • 2016 January
  • 2015 December
  • 2015 November
  • 2015 October
  • 2015 September
  • 2015 August
  • 2015 July
  • 2015 June
  • 2015 May
  • 2015 April
  • 2015 March
  • 2015 February
  • 2015 January

Contact QPS

We're Here to Help

Contact

Join Our Internal Team

We're Looking for Talent

Join

Let's Keep in Touch

  • linkedin
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • Job Seekers
  • Employers
  • Professional
  • Locations
  • About
  • español
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
footer-logo© 2015 QPS Employment Group. All Rights Reserved