Page 47 - Anne Bruce - Building A HIgh Morale Workplace (2002)

The Effects of Globalization on Morale 27

Disney’s Global Reality Check
Upon the opening of Disneyland Paris, Disney learned a few
difficult lessons about employee preferences in a very differ-
ent culture from their Anaheim and Orlando operations. For example,
managers in France do not tell their employees how long they can
wear their hair or what constitutes “proper grooming,” which the
Disney corporation strictly enforces among all of its U.S. employees.
And unlike no-drinking-on-the-job rules at American amusement
parks, Disney quickly discovered that the French do indeed like to
have a glass of wine with their lunch.

High Morale Is High Morale, Anywhere You Go in

the World

No matter where you go in the world, high morale is high

morale. It is a deep human need and desire for employees to
feel good about themselves and demonstrate positive attitudes
about what they are contributing to the organization, a need and
desire that can be felt universally when managers of every

nationality help create a working environment that encourages
people to be happy, productive, and high-spirited.

IKEA Creates a High Morale Culture

If you want to see a great example of global efficiency and high-
employee morale in an international workplace, then take a
close look at IKEA. The innovative Swedish furniture company,
known worldwide for combining good furniture design with great

function and affordable pricing, is easily recognized by its blue
and yellow logo—also the colors of the Swedish flag and source
of employee pride at IKEA international headquarters, in
Helsingborg, Sweden.

Here’s an organization where global management gets the
full admiration and respect of its employees. Even with more
than 150 stores in at least 29 countries, IKEA manages to keep
important corporate values and philosophies globally consis-
tent, along with its commitment to preserving the environ-

ment—all of which are employee pride builders and morale
boosters no matter what languages you speak.