When you’re running a business – regardless of its size or industry – there are always going to be periods of uncertainty. The world moves fast, and as we saw with COVID-19, businesses can suddenly find themselves facing unprecedented challenges and having to rethink how they operate.

Uncertainty in an organisation often leads to low employee morale, which can manifest as hearsay, mistakes, missed deadlines, poor service, demotivation, absenteeism and disengagement. These issues further fuel uncertainty, making it hard for employees to trust the workplace culture and leadership. Because of this, leaders need to tackle morale issues before they become bigger problems.

If you notice any of these red flags or other troubling behavioural changes in your workforce, here are four actions you can take to boost morale:

1. Communicate and Be Transparent

Ambiguity makes people nervous. The less your employees know about a situation, the more likely they are to assume the worst, which is why honest, consistent and transparent communication is a cornerstone of managing employee morale in uncertain times. If you sense that people are concerned about the company, their roles or the future in general, don’t dance around the issue. The best way to make your employees feel safe is by directly addressing the uncertainty.

When someone asks you a question, give them an honest response. Make sure communication efforts are regular, clear and timely, focusing on the information that is most relevant to the target audience. And remember – you don’t need to have all the answers, you just need to show that you are aware of the difficulties people are facing and are prepared to respond to challenges as they arise.

2. Be Present and Pay Attention

When dealing with uncertainty, it’s important to pay close attention to everything that’s taking place across the business, particularly in crisis events where circumstances can change rapidly. The insights you gain from your own observations and the collective knowledge of other leaders will help you understand how the uncertainty may be disrupting performance, attitudes and morale, anticipate the unexpected and determine how to respond.

Keep in mind that it’s not just workplace concerns that influence your team’s morale, there are personal ones as well, which is why leaders need to ensure they never lose touch with what matters to their people.

3. Celebrate Wins and Recognise Hard Work

One of the simplest, yet most important, human needs is to feel appreciated and acknowledged, and employees crave this even more in uncertain times. Recognition has a direct effect on engagement, loyalty and morale, so take every opportunity to celebrate wins and achievements (no matter how small), with low-cost awards, bonuses and praise. By recognising success, you can reassure people that progress is being made, despite the challenging circumstances.

Don’t forget to ensure that everyone knows what is expected of them and involve individuals in setting targets and KPIs to keep them realistic and achievable.  

4. Build Self-Efficacy

One of the antidotes to uncertainty is self-efficacy – the belief we have in our own ability to deal with various situations and complete tasks successfully. Self-efficacy increases resilience and enables people to handle difficulties without getting stressed. It is built over time as an individual gains experience (and therefore confidence), working through appropriate challenges. An employee with a high level of self-efficacy is more likely to find uncertainty motivating, instead of demoralising.

Summary

Keeping morale high when there is uncertainty all around can seem like a daunting challenge – but by maintaining transparent communications, paying attention, celebrating wins and building self-efficacy, you can ensure your employees feel valued, secure and engaged, regardless of the circumstances.

For advice on growing your team in an uncertain time or to find out about the quality Indigenous talent we work with across Australia, feel free to reach out to the Indigenous recruitment specialists at First People Recruitment Solutions.