September 24, 2009

Does your department need a morale boost?

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I hear the same stories over and over from friends, readers, and people I've interviewed during the past year. If it's not the rumor mill and the uncertainty about holding onto their job, it's the sadness, frustration, and brain drain of having to get more work done with fewer resources after their employer has laid off a sizeable chunk of their co-workers.

"In January, my boss cut my hours by 20 percent," said one friend who works for a small marketing firm. "By April, I was back to my regular full-time schedule. In July, I had to drop down to four days a week again. It's been such a roller coaster."

"Management told us to hang tight while they work out the details of the company being sold," said another friend who works for a midsize firm. "They told us, 'Nose to the grindstone, business as usual, blah blah blah.' Well, I'm making it my business to look for another place to work. I'm not sticking around long enough to watch heads roll, not if I can help it anyway."

I'm guessing this isn't exactly the morale my pals' employers were hoping for. But what's the answer? How do managers keep their people enthusiastic about their jobs when the organization itself is coming apart at the seams?

Business networking group PRforPeople is hoping to offer concerned business owners, managers, and employees some solutions. On Thursday, October 1 at 4 p.m., industrial psychologist Dr. Robert Fallis will lead the group in a discussion called "Rev Up the Workforce" on keeping morale high in the face of fiscal adversity. The event will be held at at Queen Anne's Bustle Cafe. 

According to PRforPeople, this won't be some "let's all hold hands, breathe deeply, and mediate on thoughts of 500 percent revenue growth" hippie fest. Instead, Dr. Fallis will offer concrete tips on managing change, setting goals, and increasing the lines of communication between management and staff.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, e-mail Patricia Vaccarino.

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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3 Comments

all business on September 28, 2009 1:13 PM | Reply

I'm lucky to still have my job, but that being said, by biggest complaints is that I work with people who spend their working hours incessantly talking about their husbands, wives, kids, dogs, and cousins, and the same stories every day. Also, as men, you have to be distant, or else they will view you as a threat, and give you the cold shoulder. Enough already!

no coworker dating on September 28, 2009 1:36 PM | Reply

Let me clue in all of my fellow office workers, female and male alike: Get it out of your head that co-worker dating is an option. Literally only 1 or 2% of co-workers can pull of dating co-workers, and you're probably not that one. I'm sure the heck not. Color matters: GREEN. You have a pursuit go awry, or dating go awry, and one of you is going to have to quit, because you can't handle the awkward feelings. It's not easy to find a new job today, as you all know. You also make people around you take sides on the issue, too. I've seen at least five cases of people getting hurt in the workplace, because they weren't clued in that co-worker dating is a bad idea. It can make you go from loving your job, to downright hating it.

r4i kort on December 4, 2009 9:25 PM | Reply

Negative thoughts can wash off all good plans that you may have. Positive thinking is the key to success. Read a collection of quotes that boost your morale and positive thoughts.

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