6 Things That Kill Morale
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6 Things That Kill Morale

What makes you happy at work? Maybe you have a great boss who gives you the freedom to be creative, rewards you for going the extra mile, and helps you to reach your career goals.

Maybe you have none of the above and are updating your résumé as we speak.

It’s pretty incredible how often you hear managers complaining about their best employees leaving, and they really do have something to complain about—few things are as costly and disruptive as good people walking out the door.

But managers tend to blame their turnover problems on everything under the sun while ignoring the crux of the matter: people don’t leave jobs; they leave managers.

Bad management does not discriminate based on salary or job title. A Fortune 500 executive team can experience more dissatisfaction and turnover than the baristas at a local coffee shop. The more demanding your job is and the less control you have over what you do, the more likely you are to suffer. A study by the American Psychological Association found that people whose work meets both these criteria are more likely to experience exhaustion, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression.

The sad thing is that this suffering can easily be avoided. All that’s required is a new perspective and some extra effort on the manager’s part to give employees autonomy and make their work feel less demanding. To get there, managers must understand what they’re doing to kill morale. The following practices are the worst offenders, and they must be abolished if you’re going to hang on to good employees.

#1 Overworking people.

Nothing burns good employees out quite like overworking them. It’s so tempting to work the best people hard that managers frequently fall into this trap. Overworking good employees is perplexing for them as it makes them feel as if they’re being punished for their great performance. Overworking employees is also counterproductive. Research from Stanford showed that productivity per hour declines sharply when the workweek exceeds 50 hours, and productivity drops off so much after 55 hours that you don’t get anything out of working more. Talented employees will take on a bigger workload, but they won’t stay if their job suffocates them in the process. Raises, promotions, and title-changes are all acceptable ways to increase workload. If managers simply increase workload because people are talented, without changing a thing, these employees will seek another job that gives them what they deserve.

#2 Holding people back. 

As an employee, you want to bring value to your job, and you do so with a unique set of skills and experience. So how is it that you can do your job so well that you become irreplaceable? This happens when managers sacrifice yourupward mobility for their best interests. If you’re looking for your next career opportunity, and your boss is unwilling to let you move up the ladder, your enthusiasm is bound to wane. Taking away opportunities for advancement is a serious morale killer.

Management may have a beginning, but it certainly has no end. When blessed with a talented employee, it’s the manager’s job to keep finding areas in which they can improve to expand their skill set and further their career. The most talented employees want feedback—more so than the less talented ones—and it’s a manager’s job to keep it coming. Otherwise, people grow bored and complacent.

#3 Playing the blame game

A boss who is too proud to admit a mistake or who singles out individuals in front of the group creates a culture that is riddled with fear and anxiety. It’s impossible to bring your best to your work when you’re walking on eggshells. Instead of pointing fingers when something goes wrong, good managers work collaboratively with their team and focus on solutions. They pull people aside to discuss slip-ups instead of publicly shaming them, and they’re willing to accept responsibility for mistakes made under their leadership.

#4 Frequent threats of firing. 

Some managers use threats of termination to keep you in line and to scare you into performing better. This is a lazy and shortsighted way of motivating people. People who feel disposable are quick to find another job where they’ll be valued and will receive the respect that they deserve.

#5 Not letting people pursue their passions. 

Talented employees are passionate. Providing opportunities for them to pursue their passions improves their productivity and job satisfaction, but many managers want people to work within a little box. These managers fear that productivity will decline if they let people expand their focus and pursue their passions. This fear is unfounded. Studies have shown that people who are able to pursue their passions at work experience flow, a euphoric state of mind that is five times more productive than the norm.

#6 Withholding praise

It’s easy to underestimate the power of a pat on the back, especially with top performers who are intrinsically motivated. Everyone likes kudos, none more so than those who work hard and give their all. Managers need to communicate with their people to find out what makes them feel good (for some, it’s a raise; for others, it’s public recognition) and then to reward them for a job well done. With top performers, this will happen often if you’re doing it right. This doesn’t mean that managers need to praise people for showing up on time or working an eight-hour day—these things are the price of entry—but a boss who does not give praise to dedicated employees erodes their commitment to the job.

Bringing It All Together

If managers want their best people to stay, they need to think carefully about how they treat them. While good employees are as tough as nails, their talent gives them an abundance of options. Managers need to make people want to work for them.

What other mistakes kill morale? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below, as I learn just as much from you as you do from me.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Dr. Travis Bradberry is the award-winning author of the #1 bestselling book, Emotional Intelligence Habits. His bestselling books have sold more than 3 million copies. Dr. Bradberry has written for, or been covered by, Newsweek, TIME, BusinessWeek, Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Harvard Business Review.

Now 50% off on Amazon! Click the book image to get your copy.

If you'd like to learn how to increase your emotional intelligence (EQ), consider taking the online Emotional Intelligence Appraisal test that's included with the Emotional Intelligence Habits book. Your test results will pinpoint which of the book's 700+ emotional intelligence habits will increase your EQ the most.

Rima Dey

Digital Transformations | Process reengineering

11mo

Thanks for the insight. A lot of times managers tend to micromanage problems instead of focusing on creating a direction and big picture for their employees. Furthermore; being focused only on daily problem solving and forgetting to develop and coach talents may lead to talents quitting on the team or organisation. Talent development is not only an HR topic, but also the responsibility of the next level up. And an important part of the job!

Dr. Summera Malik

Assistant Professor at uuast

11mo

Manager has to be wise and deep observer of the routine affairs of his team, as well as of individual team members. Mastery in identifying; individual skills, talents, standards of interaction and communication patterns of each would not only sharpen managers' professional long-sightedness but also short-sightedness, buffering them against workplace politics. An open-door policy for all is a key to keep whole team vibrant and connected with their managers. Managers pitching strategically with those highly committed team members which are mainly workaholic, mostly stay mute, and avoid publicising their work as the others do keeps them produce maximum even with bulk of tasks.

Ruth W.

Retired Academic and Barrister and Solicitor

11mo

Another morale killer is an employee or a boss that is underperforming and seems to be getting away with it.

Robert Williard

Director of Radiation Oncology at Baptist Memorial Health Care

11mo

As leaders, it is too easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of the work and it is in that moment where one jeopardizes the engagement of their respective team. Stealing shamelessly from my TWI Job Relations training, which resonated with me when I first heard it… “Employee tend to judge the entire organization in terms of how they are treated by their immediate one up.” That’s accountability and why leadership is a privilege, not a title.

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