Beware of the “Working Dead” …

In most zombie movies, there is no antidote. No cure for their nasty zombie virus, it’s simply all downhill from there…You watch as they slowing begin to turn into the “working dead”. After the same-old, same old, day in and day out, your team quickly begins looking a lot like zombies. Soon your productivity has slowed down, along with your sense of adventure, and finally, it’s all over. The sparkle and excitement drain from your employees’ eyes as they mindlessly do their job. Obviously, no one wants a zombie, both in the horror sense and the work sense. Here are a few things that will help keep your employees immune to the virus.  

First of all, remember that a positive workplace is key to great employee morale. Positivity isn’t a slew of awesome perks, though that is nice. Positivity is the energy derived from the respect people have for one another. It’s also having trust in people and allowing them to speak freely about their issues. Often, bad employee morale is caused by a feeling of being defeated. It’s the hypocrisy that can often rear its ugly head in the corporate world. My motto is always to treat everyone as you would want to be treated. That’s a pretty good start for a more positive and productive workplace.                  

To piggyback off that, it’s also wonderful when leadership engages with employees. Yes, you’re busy, and yes you pay them so in your mind that should be enough. Well, you’d be surprised at how many people sincerely care about your business alongside that paycheck. The ones that do feel respected and engaged with the company when leadership even gives a simple hello while passing in the hallway. Spend a little personal time getting to know people and engaging with your employees. This will allow them to feel that much more connected to your business and be motivated to take care of it correctly.    

Then, of course, there is recognition. This is always a tough one because many business owners and bosses alike feel as though a paycheck is enough recognition. In a perfect world, it certainly would be. Today’s workforce requires a little butt patting. (Not literally, don’t do that!) What I mean is a simple thank you can be an immense boost to someone’s ego. If a few simple words increase productivity, then why the heck not? No one is asking for crazy bonuses, free lunch, or a gym membership. (Although, I’m sure you wouldn’t get turned down for that). Employees just need to know they are working in the right direction and are producing quality. Ultimately, they want to make you happy and your business succeed.  

The main takeaway here is to put some genuine care into your employees. Foster an environment where people can speak up about the good, bad, and ugly without negative repercussions. Mostly though, treat others as you would want to be treated and that will create the baseline for your success.