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Turning Around Low Morale Recently, a subscriber to my monthly e-newsletter asked, “Do you have any past newsletters regarding employee morale? In our finance department our morale is terrible; we have an overwhelming amount of work and have lost some valuable and experienced staff recently.” The writer made me realize that I should write specifically about low morale in organizations, and what to do about it. So now, let’s take a look at the causes of, and cures for, low organizational morale. Blame the Boss? (Sometimes Yes, Sometimes No) Most people who experience low morale in the work environment blame leadership, or their immediate boss. Guess what? They’re often right. Studies of people who leave jobs consistently show the most likely reason for quitting is a bad relationship with a direct superior. Authority does not rest well - or wear well – on many people, even good people. Some people become responsible to promote and direct the productivity of others, but are not well suited for it or well enough prepared. What’s more, an entire organization may develop a culture that is insufficiently attendant to the needs of employees for satisfactory working conditions and an environment where they feel they can grow personally, while becoming part of something that has purpose and direction. A loss of confidence in leadership follows when people believe that those in charge either don’t really know what they’re doing, don’t care about employees or are fundamentally dishonest. To turn this around, individual leaders need to look in the mirror and get good, sometimes anonymous feedback from employees about what they really think about the leadership of the company, and make necessary adjustments. Even so, leadership factors do not account for all of the causes of low morale. Take a Look in the Mirror (Are You the Problem?) Sometimes, those who complain most about low morale in the office are really the unhappiest of people even outside the office. They don’t like the work they do (no matter where they may do it), they don’t like their relationships outside the office and they derive little joy from living. Is this the company’s fault? Obviously not. As I’m a firm believer in the responsibility, and the power, of individuals to create their own quality of life (which is not to say that everyone can or should aspire to be a millionaire), people who are just unhappy people should not deceive themselves that their jobs are the cause of their unhappiness. It’s not fair to themselves to look outside themselves for sources of their own satisfaction. The trouble is, most of these people feel powerless to be able to change their lives in any meaningful way. Left to their own devices, they probably can’t. All human growth happens in the context of positive relationships. If the people in your life do not bring you up, then you have to recruit new people into your life. That may mean finding new friends, a new worship community, joining a new club or a finding a good therapist: take your pick, or choose all of the above. The point is, the decision to change one’s circumstances begins with each individual. Overwork, in and of itself, is seldom the cause of low morale. Exhaustion, yes. Low morale? No. However, when people are working very hard over and extended period of time and feel no hope for reward or a break, then morale suffers. This again brings up leadership issues: people who are working very hard need to feel a sense of confidence that their efforts are making a difference, and that they and/or the organization are growing and getting better. People who have hope can and will work very hard for a very long time. People without hope will not, and when they feel forced by circumstances to work long and hard, their morale will be low. And so, extended, hard work, per se, is not a true cause for low morale. Sometimes a lack of enough work causes low morale! How? When people don’t feel challenged and don’t feel they are growing, they more easily become seduced by negative thinking. I included this idea of “overwork” as a potential cause for low morale because most people believe it is a cause. But it’s really not. Lack of hope is a more genuine cause of low morale. If you think morale is low due to overwork in your office, ask yourself, is the amount of work really the issue? And, if the root cause is really a lack of hope, what are the causes for that lack, and how can they be addressed?
Rumor, negativity, gossip, and quiet character assassination kill organizations, kill productivity, kill morale and crush the spirit. I can’t be plainer: when people engage in this kind of behavior, either as listeners or as poisoned whisperers, they damage their listeners, the subjects of their attacks and themselves. Hey, that’s three for one! Rumor and negativity can spread quickly like an aggressive cancer, and will kill morale, no matter how good the leadership of an organization may be. Criticism is good and necessary, and if it’s worthwhile, should be delivered to the person being critiqued in person, in private, and directly. . . even if that person is a leader or a boss. But indirect rumor mongering invites – no, it breeds – distortion and untruth, and actually has a chemical effect on the brain that inhibits happiness and human growth. All of us, no matter how “good,” can fall prey to this activity if we’re not careful. And some people are just unshakable carriers of this kind of intrigue, no matter where they go, no matter how good their environment may be. They only way to improve morale when you have a significant proportion of these people in an organization is not to hire them or, failing that, to let them go (for documented, job-related reasons). And if you’re a member of an organization whose leadership is pretty good but where morale is low due to an environment created by people like this, then your only self-defense is to shun their company. Don’t let them bring your mind down, simply because they thrive on spreading destruction! Sometimes, conditions entirely outside of an organization’s control make for low morale. A sudden change in the market or in an economy can really hurt a business, and in spite of great leadership and positive people, the mood becomes dour. This happens, and it can be a legitimate source of low morale. The only solution is to change a business model to adapt to changing times, and the process of change can itself bring more low morale. People whose skills once fit an organization may no longer fit. The only way for individuals to get up off the mat and protect themselves when they find themselves in this situation, in an industry that is fading, is to get new education and training. Some people are resilient enough to do that, and some people fight the change tooth and nail. I’ve worked with people facing the threat of displacement when an organization reorganizes and some jobs will no longer exist, and I know how hard it is for people to make the transition, and to let go of what was comfortable and rewarding to them in the past. But the only solution is to take charge of one’s own destiny in the best way possible. To be sure, good businesses are well advised to help people make those transitions, and even find new roles for people in a new organization. But at the end of the day, we are all the ones ultimately responsible to create our own futures, making the connections and learning the things we need to create new opportunities. Some organizations suffer not so much from low morale as from a sense of dull, stale numbness. People come to their jobs, and live and work in their own little cubicles, literally and figuratively. There is a school of thought out there that says people should not become too friendly at work, and that it’s best top keep a pretty clear, firm line between one’s personal life and one’s professional life. That works for some people, but it also brings with it a cost in the office environment if everyone adopts this stance. Friendship, and the enjoyment of others’ company, quirks, talents and senses of humor all combine to make life interesting and enjoyable. If your office environment feels stale and if morale is low, ask yourself, “am I contributing to this, not by adding negativity, but by distancing myself from others, and contributing to a more cold, lifeless environment?” Too much “professional” distance among people who work together often keeps a team from reaching its peak of morale and productivity, and when you don’t know or understand the people around you very well, it’s much easier to misunderstand them. Sometimes needless resentments spring from just this gap in mutual understanding. Copyright (c) 2004 A. J. Schuler, Psy. D. Dr. A. J. Schuler is an expert in leadership and organizational change. To find out more about his programs and services, visit www.SchulerSolutions.com or call (703) 370-6545. Click here to check out more FREE, reprintable articles available on this site. Click here for information about Schuler Solutions consulting services, and here for information about Dr. Schuler’s availability to speak and make presentations to corporate audiences, |
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