Years ago, I was having a conversation with a colleague about morale. He stated that he did not have time to worry about morale. Specifically, he said that the fact the employees get paychecks should make them happy. I was incredulous, as this was my first encounter with this mindset.

Based on my experience with this person, I knew it was a lost cause to try and change his mind. So instead, I wanted to use my energy to help leaders understand why good morale is vital to a successful workplace.

Enjoying what you do for a living helps morale immediately. For example, maintaining good morale will be easier if employees identify with the organization’s mission. However, some employees may need a job but prefer something else. In such cases, leaders should have an open and positive dialogue with the relevant employees to help them improve their outlook or to help them transition out of the organization. This step might seem harsh, but it is vital, as it is straightforward for negativity to spread through an organization.

The are many ways to keep morale at a high level, but leaders must make it a priority. This can be accomplished by doing the following:

  • Checking in with employees regularly to gauge their feelings about their work.
  • Recognizing the excellent work performed by employees.
  • Acting in more of a mentor capacity than a boss.
  • Conducting routine team-building retreats.
  • Allowing employees to have flexible work schedules.
  • Encouraging a healthy work-life balance.

There are no guarantees that you will please all employees, but the attempt to do so can better ensure retention and growth to the bottom line. Nothing worthwhile is rarely easy.