Page 32 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

12 Building a High Morale Workplace

The Intangible Proof of Morale:
Can You Feel It?
When you come in contact with an organization where
morale is high, you can sense it immediately. Here are some of the
characteristics of such organizations:
• esprit de corps • high self-esteem
• positive attitude • determination
• cheerfulness • meaningful purpose
• confidence • mutual support
• generosity • loyalty
• hope

It All Adds Up to the Intangible

It’s no secret that businesses with exceptional morale have a
very real competitive edge. It’s not just about having a superior
product or service, or about fancy offices in a high-rise building,
or about lower prices than the competition. It’s not even related
to material things. It’s about the intangible, the feelings that are
transmitted from one employee to another and then on to the

customer—feelings like esprit de corps, a can-do state of mind,
and a positive attitude. Morale is about creating an environment
that conveys these feelings. As this transformation takes place,
you will feel that your organization is behaving less like a corpo-

ration and more like a community.

Rally to a Higher Purpose

As a manager, it’s your job to foster a sense of community and
teamwork any way you can. Keep in mind that today many
people are looking for ways to rally around a larger purpose—a
purpose that goes beyond the corporate mantra and the bottom
line. Acknowledge this need for a higher purpose by helping to
create a true feeling of community among your employees. Let

that feeling start within the organization and then grow outward.
Here are a few ways to do this:

• Employees participating in relief efforts
• Donating holiday party funds to charitable causes
• Building a playground for disadvantage kids, like Ben &