Here’s Why Productivity And Morale Is Correlated— And Why You Should Care

Have you ever experienced getting a heavier workload since the change of management came up? Do you feel downtrodden by their latest directives? You’re not alone.

It is known that an employee’s morale can directly impact how they engage with the company. In turn, it also affects their level of productivity.

By failing to measure employee morale, the company will be clueless as to why their retention plummets while the attrition spikes.

Read below to learn how the correlation between productivity and morale needs to be taken seriously.

What is morale?

Simply put, morale is a set of strong beliefs that are being held by a person. In a work setting, this can refer to the satisfaction, outlook, and feelings that an employee has while at work.

How does morale affect productivity?

Since morale is built on a collected thread of firm opinions, it can easily affect a person’s output. Here are some examples:

Example 1:

Employee 1 found it hard to work with Employee 2 because they were hard to reach out to. Because of this bad experience, Employee 1 has low morale due to a negative experience from a co-worker.

Example 2: 

Employee A found out that they were going to be laid off. Employee A works hard for the company but was surprised to know that they were going to be retrenched. Employee A has low morale because they feel slighted by the retrenchment.

How do we increase employee morale?

Paying attention to the finer details is key in building a solid game plan to increase morale. Start by handing out surveys that outline your employees’ biggest concerns. You can also hold a town hall event or a one-on-one check-in with the staff.

Most importantly, cultivate a positive work culture in the long run. Allow employees to express themselves so long as no one is getting hurt. Don’t hold back from giving perks and praise to the people who deserve it.