…paves the way of the business
bottom-line…
…an individual’s state of mind with respect to the
tasks that he or she is expected to perform.
It is indicative of the attitude, satisfaction, and
overall outlook of an employee during their time in
their workplace environment.
From a business point of view
your 2 most important assets are:
a. Your customers
b.Your staff
But not necessarily in that order…
“Where the Rubber Meets the Road”
“Where the Surf Meets the Turf”
“Where the Rubber Meets the Road”
It’s a Man Thing
Staff Morale has a Direct Effect on…
• Productivity
• Attendance
• Retention
• Teamwork
• Feedback
• Representation
Staff Morale has a Direct Effect on…
• Productivity
• Attendance
• Retention
• Teamwork
• Feedback
• Representation
• Net Profit!!!
Morale and Productivity…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
Employees with positive
morale with respect to their
work environment tend to
go above and beyond more
willingly.
Employees with negative
morale with respect to their
work environment tend to
do only what is absolutely
required of them, and
nothing more.
While they may be getting paid close to the same wage
the employee with the more positive morale actually costs
you less than the employee with negative morale. If they
are willing to do the extra you get more productivity for the
same cost.
Morale and Attendance…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
Employees with positive
morale call in sick far less
frequently, and even look
forward to coming to work.
Employees with negative
morale take far more sick
days, putting an extra
burden on the rest of the
staff.
• You are getting more productivity out of the employee
with positive morale.
• The extra burden of absorbing work that would have
been assigned to the employee who called in sick often
causes poor teamwork, and less than happy staff.
Morale and Retention…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
Employees with positive
morale tend to stay with the
company longer. If they are
happy with the work
environment why go
someplace else?
Employees with negative
morale tend to leave the
company in a short time,
leading you to find a
replacement sooner than
expected.
• Even with the cost of pay increases over the years
longevity is far cheaper than repeatedly hiring and
training new employees.
Morale and Teamwork…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
A group of employees with
positive morale will often
work together very well, as
a “TEAM”, keeping each
other driven and helping
each other accomplish or
exceed their goals for the
day.
A group of employees with
negative morale do not
work together very well.
They tend to have an “every
man for himself” attitude
and do only what is required
of them.
• The TEAM approach is far more productive in the short
term and the long term.
Morale and Feedback…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
Employees with positive
morale leave their patients
with a positive impression of
the care they are receiving.
That positive impression is
often reflected in the form of
surveys sent back to the
hospital, and word-of-mouth
kudo’s.
Employees with negative
morale leave their patients
with a less than positive
impression of the care they
are receiving. This too is
often reflected in hospital
surveys, and word-of-mouth
conversation to others.
• Word-of-mouth advertising is powerful. People tend to
remember the negative far easier than the positive.
Morale and Representation…
Positive Morale Negative Morale
Employees with positive
morale will have a good
impression of the
department and even the
hospital. Those impressions
will often be talked about
with their friends and family
in person and on the
internet.
Employees with negative
morale will have a poor
impression of the
department and even the
hospital. They will often
share those impressions
with friends and family in
person and on the internet.
• Verbal representation from employees often has a
bigger impact, and falls under the category of
word-of-mouth advertising. Remember: Negative
travels farther and faster than positive!
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
Pulling the Trigger!
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
1. The number-1 cause of poor staff morale is:
Poor Leadership.
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
• The causes of low staff morale actually fall into 1 of 2 categories.
• Leadership causes
• Other causes
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
Leadership Causes
• Poor management tactics
• Distrust of management
• Poor relations between leaders and staff
• Unclear expectations
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
Other Causes
• Politics, politics, politics…
• Lay-offs, or the fear of lay-offs
• Unexpected change in leadership
• High employee turnover rate
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
Differences Between a Boss and a Leader
A boss drives employees A leader coaches employees
A boss inspires fear A leader generates enthusiasm
A boss places blame for breakdown A leader fixes the breakdown
A boss uses people A leader develops people
A boss takes credit A leader gives credit
A boss says “go” A leader says “Let’s go…”
Causes of Poor Staff Morale…
…” Hitting people over the head is assault, not leadership”
Dwight Eisenhower
Steps to Improve Staff Morale…
“Lead and inspire people. Don’t try to manage and manipulate
people. Inventories can be managed but people must be lead.” —
Ross Perot