5 easy ways to boost staff morale over the holidays

Nothing kills a sale faster than grumpy or disinterested staff. Whatever type of customer-facing business you run, you can’t afford to have the attitude of your staff turn away customers during the peak holiday season.

Here are five ideas to keep your staff motivated while they’re working hard.

1. Communicate

Let staff know what to do, how they should do it and by when. Have clear goals that are easy for all employees to understand and rules that are easy for them to follow. For example, they should know if you value efficiency above customer care or if both are a priority.

Set goals for sales figures, but remember to notice when they are going above and beyond your expectations to please your customers.

2. Educate

It’s frustrating for customers when your staff don’t appear to know their jobs or your products or menu, and it’s embarrassing for your employees. Investing time in training will result in more confident staff and better sales figures.

When you train on the job, constantly observe and assess new team members and give them constructive feedback. If you notice something wrong, correct them in private, let it go and move on.

3. Challenge

Your staff are at the frontline, so they know better than anyone what is and isn’t working. Ask them for their input and ideas. This simple form of recognition can be a big morale booster because it shows you value your employees as partners in the process. You can reward the best suggestion with a prize if competitions and contests motivate your staff.

Asking for their input also helps them to feel part of a team that is working towards a common goal — even if that goal is simply surviving the rush!

4. Appreciate

You can let your employees know that you appreciate the extra effort they put in over the holidays by rewarding them in ways additional to simply paying them.

A simple, genuine ‘thank you’ or other verbal recognition of a job well done can help them go the extra mile when needed. Other low-cost ways of showing your gratitude and keeping them energised include providing free snacks and coffee or paying for their parking.

5. Motivate

When thinking of rewards such as higher commissions or bonuses, consider how you will measure success. If you run a sales contest, for example, will all the team receive a bonus when the business meets the overall target? Consider a grand prize for the top performer in sales, customer service, teamwork or ideas — or all. One business we know even gives a prize for the person showing the most Christmas cheer on their busiest days.

Finally, if you know your team well, you can make your rewards more personal and, therefore, more motivating. Some may appreciate ‘gold class’ movie tickets over a party or public recognition. Others may get a real boost out of seeing their achievements complimented on your Facebook business page. Your cheerful, friendly and helpful staff are the key to reaching your holiday sales targets — and staying sane. By aligning business goals, personal motivation and rewards, you ‘ll find the winning combination for high staff morale.