Post by Ginny Andrews on Jun 15, 2021 18:09:14 GMT
Staff Morale. Team Spirit. These are just a couple of terms used to describe employees sense of wellbeing and job satisfaction. Without great morale, a team is less able to function and meet their goals. You may not necessarily know it when you have it—but you certainly feel it when it is not there!
I have led a variety of teams over the years, and I can truly say that one group stands out in my mind. This group was extremely high functioning. We enjoyed coming to work every day and we had fun together. We checked in with each other frequently. We had each other’s back. We trusted each other. Only one member of this core group still works for that organization but, this group has remained friends for over 20 years.
I have tried to replicate what we did all those years ago and have never quite found the key to success again. But I went back to that team of experts to get their thoughts on what kept them positive and energized to come to work every day and bring along a great attitude. Their comments all followed a similar theme. They all felt they contributed to the overall goals of the organization and to the families we served. Management and coworkers treated everyone with respect and their concerns and opinions were heard. They all mentioned that their pay was not the best-but having somewhat flexible schedules and knowing that other staff had their backs was invaluable.
I hope that I contributed to that team’s success by listening to and supporting each of them. I also hope that my desire to have fun at work was contagious. Let’s face it-we are at work for over half our waking hours during a day! The work we do can be challenging and not all participants want to be engaged in activities. We need to enjoy being here and spending time with our coworkers. I like to connect my team members on some personal level. It may be that they have children that are the same age or they all like dogs or cats. Encouraging conversations during our team meetings that are about our personal stories and lives helps us all be more relatable.
I also find that a simple “thank you” goes a long way in supporting a team. I often give small tokens of appreciation- plants, flowers, chocolate, Dunk’s gift card-along with a handwritten thank you note describing how much I appreciate them and their specific contributions to the team. Praise and recognition for a job well done, going above and beyond assigned tasks, or simply getting through a difficult day makes a world of difference to many and ensures that they know they are a valuable part of the team. I hope that my support and appreciation for my team along with encouraging fun and connections helps support a strong sense of team spirit and makes this team optimistic about meeting goals and expectations.