What influences team morale, and how can you use this to boost the morale of your team?
CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Studies Weekly
Educator Sarah Brion said the three factors that impact staff morale are:
Belongingness: role expectations align with staff’s personal needs.
Identification: district goals coincide with what staff members want to accomplish.
Rationality: staff members think job responsibilities are ‘logical and well-suited’ and see how their roles contribute to your locality’s success.
As a school leader you have the power to improve each of these areas of staff morale so that everyone is pushing toward increased student achievement.
Do this first
Before you improve team morale, gauge your own motivation; you can’t inspire others if you’re dragging your feet into the office every day. Boost your morale by:
Reading articles and journals to stay on top of industry trends.
Hiring a mentor or coach.
Attending webinars and conferences.
Asking for employee feedback.
Building work relationships.
Once you’re coming to work with a spring in your step, you can help others find their motivation.
Strategies for boosting team morale
Show appreciation
The great thing about showing appreciation is that it doesn’t require buying trophies or expensive gifts; you can recognise your team members by leaving a note on their desk, complimenting them in person, and giving shout-outs in meetings, newsletters and social media posts. Teachers, especially, appreciate it when headteachers recognise all the extra time and work they put into teaching, tutoring, planning and marking.
You can also use recognition as an incentive. Celebrate top staff members in each department not only at an end-of-the-year award ceremony but consistently throughout the school year as well. Brainstorm creative or thematic awards.
Create a culture of respect
Team morale increases when school leaders respect their staff members, a John Lambersky study reports. Respect means treating people with kindness, considering their thoughts and feelings, and encouraging others to do the same. Employees feel respected when you:
Welcome their feedback: create feedback channels where staff members can leave anonymous comments about work hours, salaries, school policies, curriculum, etc. Their insights will give you valuable information on how to improve your area’s education.
Value their time: respect that your staff have other priorities besides their job. Manage workloads so that no-one feels overwhelmed or mistreated. Also, accommodate personal needs and desires to attend special family events. When educators feel you value them as people, and not just as employees, they will want to dedicate themselves to helping your school succeed.
Protect them from workplace harassment: teachers often feel attacked from every side. To ensure student success, teachers must always perform their best, every day, but managing a classroom of children is physically, mentally and emotionally exhausting on a daily basis.
You can prevent workplace drama by encouraging everyone on your team to treat each other with respect, and by creating a safe, supportive space for all educators. Don’t allow parents to harass your teachers, and enforce your workplace harassment policy fairly. Review this policy with your team each year so new appointments know they can feel safe at work.
Promote health and wellness: it is easier for people to motivate themselves when they feel optimistic about their work. You can reduce your staff’s stress levels by ensuring they have the necessary resources to do their jobs well. Provide software that runs smoothly and supplies for their classrooms and offices. Give them enough time to complete each task and, if they fall behind, offer to help.
Other ways to encourage a growth mindset is to offer peer support, professional development and constructive feedback. Encourage your staff to set SMART goals and ask what you can do to help.
You can also reduce stress and maintain team morale by helping your staff take care of themselves. Provide healthy snacks, magazines, and crossword puzzles in the staffroom. If you notice a teacher or staff member is feeling frustrated, offer to cover for them while they unwind.
Foster work relationships: as a school leader you are in a position to encourage staff to build relationships so everyone on your team feels they have someone to turn to for help. Start by building a relationship with each person in your organisation. Visit teachers frequently, not just for observations, and participate in their lessons. Talk with them after class and ask them how they are enjoying their job. When you pass staff members in the hallway, greet them with a warm smile.
If you struggle to find time to talk with your staff members, schedule one-on-one meetings with them. To foster peer relationships, plan fun activities for staff members to do together so they can get to know each other in a non-work-related setting.
Activity Ideas:
Scavenger hunt.
Escape room.
Game night.
Yoga in the park.
Potluck dinner.
Bowling night
Mini-golf.
Gift exchange.
You can also host staff lunches once a term or encourage staff members to do group activities on their own, such as starting a book club or attending fitness classes together.
Empower your staff: you are more likely to resolve problems when you allow everyone on your team to come up with solutions. Let your staff put their talents to good use by involving them in decision-making and leadership opportunities – this will take some things off your plate and empower them to create their own success. Ask teachers to participate in school planning committees, mentor new teachers and share their ideas and successes with each other. Have staff members take turns leading meetings and make sure everyone has an opportunity to share their ideas during each meeting.
Boosting team morale is about getting to know your staff members, what inspired them to go into education, what makes them feel valued, and how you can help them achieve their goals. As you support their dreams and aspirations, they will want to work with you to provide the best learning experience possible and increase student achievement.
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