Promote Employee Optimism

Author: Mike Scaletti

Optimism has been shown to increase health and happiness, to lead to a more committed and productive workforce, to reduce stress, and to combat burnout. While a certain level of optimism can develop simply as a byproduct of the employees that a company has on staff and their personality types, it behooves any business to try to foster an environment where optimism can flourish.

There are many ways that employers can promote optimism in the workplace while combating low morale, and employers have a duty to their workers and their business to encourage positivity in practical, meaningful ways. Here are some examples:

Celebrate Your Workers:

Recognize the work and achievements of your employees. According to Gallup, more than 80% of employees are motivated by recognition that’s honest, authentic and personalized. It's worth remembering that this type of recognition typically costs employers little to nothing, while netting huge returns. Take the time to acknowledge the work your employees have put in, the tasks they have succeeded at, and the efforts they are making. Feeling valued is one of the key ways to keep employees engaged and optimistic!

Be Honest With Your Workers:

Nobody likes to be blindsided. That is especially true at work. If there is a problem with an employees performance than be sure to take the time to provide clear, honest, constructive feedback. Give them a chance to correct the issue. Employees can not correct an issue they do not know is one. Work with them, and then once the issue is corrected, be sure to acknowledge them for the work they did to correct it!

Embrace Flexibility

One of the absolute worst ways to impact morale and productivity in the workplace is to micromanage. By attempting to control exactly when and how your employees accomplish their assigned tasks, you are indicating that you do not trust and believe in them.

This extends to having a flexible work environment as well. In a post-pandemic world, remote work is here to stay. While there are certainly some tasks that cannot be completed remotely, if it is possible and you don't embrace giving your employees the option to work at least some of their time from home, you will be cutting yourself off from many of the best candidates and undermining the positivity of some of those you already have. Remember, the value of your employees to your business is how successfully they complete their tasks, not how many hours you watched them work.