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Executive Management Consulting - Article

Morale Matters

Morale issues continue to be a costly problem for businesses of all sizes. Improving morale issues is essential for workplace efficiency and profitability. After all attending to morale issues means involvement with human emotion. Coping with other people's human emotions can be even more daunting than the task of deciding where and how cutbacks must be made. Even managers who may have excellent production and financial problem solving skills but only modest training in the area of dealing with workplace related human emotions.

Pressure to take on more responsibilities to increase production, and the expectation to perform the same task with fewer resources, are all parts of a common scenario in today's business world. This condition can set into motion an unwanted and unprofitable chain of emotional reactions starting with frustration, fear of the consequences of failure, and, finally, anger. These emotions are rarely addressed in the workplace until they manifest as conflicts or confrontations. Managers who are hard at work trying to meet expectations are finding their efforts slowed because of the time required to cope with increasing levels of crankiness, conflict and tension. They are often surprised to discover the existence of these problems even among the most dedicated staff.                

This article provides practical tips on how to tackle the problem based on an innovative model for effective morale management. The model is based on a simple explanation of the brain's natural design. It explains that emotions (E), thinking (T) and actions (A) are generated from different parts of the brain and why excellent problem solving skills do not necessarily transfer to the effective management of emotional issues.

Learning and using the ETA model and knowing how to apply it helps individuals recognize when their emotions are preventing effective problem solving. They learn how to move from emotional reaction to critical thinking. There is a specific learned way as to how this can be done without "pressurizing" natural emotions and thereby causing greater problems later. This will help readers recognize their own emotional reactions. This will also give the reader a working tool that they can use to help them respond more effectively to the challenge of impacting profitability by using this technique of improving staff morale.

Rational decisions made in the boardroom can create emotional reactions that echo throughout the entire organization. Spending cuts, personnel relations, or other actions required during this era of downsizing commonly create increased pressures on those who remain. Corporate leaders, sensing the connection between morale and profitability, know that somehow they need to devote some increased attention to this issue.

Often these morale issues are ignored because of the significant emphasis placed on efficiency and financial discretion.  However, morale issues are financial issues.   Poor morale impacts productivity, which in turn impacts the bottom line.  Cud backs and layoffs inevitably create increased pressure on the employees who remain responsible for getting the job done with fewer resources and in shorter time frames.  These pressures prompt normal human emotions like reactions.

Maintaining positive morale is essential to maintaining profitability because the pressure to do more, or even the same task, with fewer resources can stimulate frustration, anger and fear even in the most dedicated professional.