The last 18 months have been a roller coaster for many of us: ups, downs, and lots of unexpected loops. At some point, many of us have thought, “I can’t wait for things to get back to “normal.” Well that time is upon us. Higher education institutions around the country are well into the fall semester and many schools have opted to return to primarily in-person classes this fall. This means an increasing number of faculty and staff are in the office, in both hybrid and full-week capacities. If you have seen my last two write-ups in this series, you know feelings regarding the return to the office run the gamete; and even those who were enthusiastic about being in the office again, have needed time to adjust. This means office morale may not be at its highest. To help you boost your team (or your own) mood I have compiled a list of tips and activities that are sure to lessen the stress and boost confidence and enthusiasm in the office while we’re getting back in the swing of things.

1. Personalized Care Packages and/or thank you notes. Remind your employees that they matter.¹

*And if you’re a leader whose team was down a position or two due a hiring freeze, remind yourself how much each person on your team matters.

2. Flexible Hours. When possible consider giving your employees the flexibility they want and need. One organization gives their employees three mental health hours per week to sign off anytime during the workday for rest and wellbeing. No questions asked.¹

3. Exercise Challenges. Have fun encouraging each other to be active.^1,2

4. Volunteer as A Group! This one is my personal favorites. This activity builds connections between employees, induces happiness in the person serving and those being helped, and is usually a lot of fun!²

*Many organizations have Community Service/Volunteer/Benevolent paid leave policies.

5. Massage the Stress Away. Have a massage day. If you can’t make the financials work to offer it at no cost, negotiate a discounted rate for your staff. Many massage therapists are looking for new clients and this works to their advantage as well. A low-cost alternative: partner with a vocational school that offers a massage therapist program.²

6. Donut Meetings. Randomly pairs up coworkers and encourages them to set up a coffee meeting to get to know each other better. This allows employees to learn more about each other and better understand one another – personally and professionally.¹

7. Naptime. Make a nap/meditation room and give people 20 minutes to refuel. “Stop micro-managing productivity of resources and start acknowledging human needs. You’d be surprised how a subtle shift in thinking can boost morale.”²

8. Put a Cap on Office Hours and stick to it! “Sixty-hour work weeks are neither productive nor engaging.”²

9. Take it on the Chin as a Leader. “Change is a constant in the workplace. Many change initiatives fail somewhere along the line. Make it a point to take the heat for your team. Then discuss with them how everyone—yourself included—can do better the next time.”²

10. Treat People Like Adults. “This may seem a bit silly. But review the policies and processes that try to babysit adults into compliance. You hired adults with skills, passions, and goals. Make room for your staff’s creativity and vigor. Figure out how to channel it into the needs of your organization. Employees don’t need babysitters, they need opportunity.”²

11. Author’s addition: Encourage your employees to share one reason they’re excited to be back in the office. Your employees can send you individual emails or get really fun and make short videos, snapchat style! You can compile the list and share in a common area such as the lunchroom or combine the videos and post to social media! You can even get your students involved. (This might be particularly fun for Admissions folks!).

I’ll start… I’m excited for a functioning dual monitor set-up and lunch parties with my team!

Are you a supervisor?  We would love to hear how you are managing morale in your office.

Reference:

1https://blog.namely.com/ways-to-boost-morale-during-covid-that-arent-happy-hours