Employees are the backbone of every successful company. When employees are happy with their job and feel like valued pieces of the puzzle, they often go above and beyond what is asked of them. A lack of employee engagement happens when the opposite is true.
When employees don’t feel valued or appreciated, then they are often unproductive and don’t end up working as hard as they could. Unfortunately, many managers make simple mistakes that kill employee morale. In this article, we will go over several of those mistakes to avoid. When you are done reading you can learn about employee engagement in more detail there.
1 – Unfair treatment
While it is natural that a boss will have some favorites among the employees, it is not acceptable to treat people unfairly as a result. It’s ok to give favored employees rewards for their work, but it’s not ok to apply rules differently to different people.
For example, if a favored employee is frequently late for work but nothing is ever said, while another is reprimanded for the one time they are late then this will build resentment. After a while of this type of treatment, those treated unfairly will start to disengage at work since it will seem like hard work is not worth it.
Another example is when favoritism is on display. If a favored employee is rewarded even though their work is subpar then this creates an atmosphere that kills morale among good workers.
To keep morale high, it’s important to treat everyone fairly and equally. Make sure all rules apply to everyone in the same way. Give promotions and special jobs based on merit.
2 – Not offering opportunities for growth
Having chances to grow and get better at their jobs is something employees value a lot. A promotion or raise shows them that their hard work didn’t go unnoticed. When a company invests in its employees’ growth, it shows that it cares about their future. This can lead to higher morale and commitment to the company.
If they work hard and are never rewarded with a raise or promotion, they will feel that it isn’t worth trying hard and may even start the quiet quitting process. This can also have a domino effect and other employees start to feel discouraged and stop working hard as well.
3 – Not addressing employee concerns
Employees need to feel heard at work. This is particularly true when they have a complaint or they need to bring something to the attention of their superior. When a concern gets ignored or failed to be acted upon, then this can be disheartening for an employee.
They’ll feel that they aren’t truly cared for and will start to disengage from work. On the other hand, if their concerns are addressed and made right then they will feel they have some ownership in their work and will continue to be productive. Address employee complaints in a timely fashion and they will feel respected.