Page 72 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

52 Building a High Morale Workplace

of the most upscale sky-
Environmental psychol-
ogy A course of academic scraper in town, if your
study, encompassing a building was designed by
range of disciplines that relate to an award-winning architect
employee behaviors, stresses, anxi- and built from the finest
eties, likes and dislikes, and physiologi- steel, chrome, and glass,
cal changes on the job, such as heart
or if your offices have the
rate and blood pressure.
loveliest landscaping and
the most extraordinary
fountains and marble floors in the entry way. That’s not the kind
of environment I’m talking about. Why? Because none of that
matters if the managers and supervisors who reside there do not

genuinely care for and love their people.
When I talk about altering the environment, I mean altering
workplace behaviors and improving the way that leaders com-
municate with and treat their people. Sure, it’s nice to work in
fine surroundings, but creating high employee morale is not

Beware of Posh Surroundings

A former manager for a communications company in
Mountain View, California, warns of posh surroundings
where there is no substance:
When I went to work for this firm, I’ve got to admit, I was pretty
taken in by the looks of everything.The building was new and the
offices we had on the two top floors were quite the showplace.
The artwork on the walls was commissioned by well-known
artists and the marble entry way was actually flown in from Italy. I
went home and told my wife,“You can’t believe the beautiful
office I work in!” But it wasn’t long before I got the real picture.
By all appearances we were a hotshot communications firm, but
within those walls we were a company of people who were
morally, emotionally, and synergistically bankrupt.
Now I’m working for a company with a far more humble office
setting, but internally we are a synergistic, highly motivated,
morale-driven, high-energy work group.You can feel the energy in
the air around here and management makes everyone feel impor-
tant and valued. I never thought I’d say this about my work envi-
ronment, but I really do love working here.