Celebrate to Improve Employee Morale

Do you remember how good it felt when you accomplished something as a child? Maybe you performed in a concert, got straight A's, or scored the winning goal for your soccer team. Chances are, you got ice cream or a new toy to celebrate. When it comes to improving employee morale, we need to take a nod from our childhood experiences.

Celebrating wins (and even losses) is an important part of growing in the business world. If you want your employees to shine like the business rock stars you know they can be, encourage them, appreciate them, and celebrate like a real rock star.

Celebrate Wins

Do you see the goals that are being met, or just focus on those that are not? Positive reinforcement is a much more successful method of motivation than punishment for quotas not reached. When an employee or the team hits a goal, celebrate! You can do this in a number of ways:

• Throw a party
• Order breakfast or lunch for everyone
• Offer a few extra hours of paid time off
• Give incentives like movie tickets, gift certificates for restaurants, or travel
• Post their photo on a wall for a job well done
• Make a donation (in their name) to your employee's favorite charity

Some companies have a bell in the office so when a deal is closed, they ring the bell and announce it to everyone. This can work in a sales situation, however, don't forget all of the behaviors that support your bottom line indirectly. Are your employees providing amazing customer service? Have they shown incredible teamwork or leadership? Have they taken steps to improve themselves and their performance? While it may not translate directly to a sell, you'll want to celebrate all the good that your employees do. It will improve their job satisfaction and their productivity going forward.

Don't just stick a positive testimonial from a customer in the employee's file and ignore it until review time. Acknowledge the win and share it with the team.

Celebrate Losses

It may seem counterintuitive, but losses need to be recognized and celebrated as well. Failure means they tried something. It means your employees stepped out of their comfort zones, challenged the status quo, and attempted something new. Marvelless Mark® tells his clients that innovation is born out of mistakes and you should recognize their efforts accordingly.

Celebrate Personal Achievements

Your employees exist outside of office hours. In fact, they probably have a rich, rewarding life filled with family, friends, hobbies, and growth. Stay apprised of what employees are doing in their spare time. Show them you care by being curious and excited when good things happen. Host parties for big events like marriage and births. While it's good to have a "Sunshine Committee" or a group of people that handle employee celebrations, if you really want to show that you are interested and supportive, you must be involved in the planning or funding.

Some personal development programs offer to notify a participant's employer when they've reached a certain proficiency or award level. Let your employees know that you approve of, and appreciate any work they do outside of the office and would love to be told when they've made any accomplishments.

Celebrating achievements is a great way to show employees that they are appreciated and needed.  Remember that work wins are not the old thing to celebrate. Celebrate the good, the bad, and the personal, and bring out the rockstars in your business.

"James Bond has a license to kill, rockstars have a license to be outrageous. Rock is about grabbing people's attention." - Gene Simmons

Mark Kamp® aka Marvelless Mark® works with organizations who want their teams to achieve immediate rock star results. A Keynote Speaker/Entertainer/Author, Husband, Father, and child of God, his primary message, “Opportunity Rocks®” gives attendees a fresh new perspective on Sales, Marketing, and Employee Performance. Fun and engaging, Mark combines the success secrets of your favorite rock stars with just the right amount of entertainment to transform your employees into business rockstars. Learn more at www.OpportunityRocks.net.