Any boss knows that arriving at the office with the right headspace can make a huge difference to the day. After all, you’re more likely to feel good if you’re happy to come to work in the morning, and you’re more likely to work well if you feel good. Perhaps you sing in the shower to put a spring in your step or choose to walk to work for some much-needed fresh air and headspace. Either way, you probably try to come to your desk smiling. But what happens if your employees aren’t doing the same?
Frowns, fussing, and frustrations in your morning team can quickly bring office morale to a standstill, not to mention its impact on productivity overall! Unfortunately, if this is an issue you’ve been noticing for a while now, or if it impacts more than just one or two people, then this problem probably needs more than a simple caffeine fix. In truth, there are a wide range of reasons why your employees might not be morning people right now, and some of them may be down to you to fix. Simply keep on reading to find out how you could help to change your team’s morning tune.
# 1 – Provide an Appealing Welcome
Picture this – your employees get to work ready to start a new day, only to face parking issues, trip over broken paving stones, and embark on a three-storey stair climb because the office elevator is broken. Even if they left home in a good mood, all of this will see them reaching their desks feeling sweaty and sore. And that’s no way to start a productive working day.
Hence why your first port of call is to make sure that you’re providing the most appealing welcome possible for your team. Remember, the more smoothly their trip into work, the more promptly, and positively, they can arrive.
One great option here is to simply allocate parking spaces. While you will need to consider some politics while doing this (e.g. management closest to the building, etc.), employees are sure to be ultimately happier that they no longer have to circle the car park, or risk not finding a space every morning.
You should also keep your office entrance safe, attractive, and welcoming. Taking care of maintenance priorities like concrete repair on any broken paving slabs, and elevator maintenance if it’s been playing up is especially important for avoiding grazed knees or exertion so early in the morning. Equally, keeping your office front nicely painted, and implementing lobby additions like well-suited plants, can all provide some much-needed morning joy.
# 2 – Actually Give Employees a Break
If employees left the office last night only to log back in and complete work until bedtime, it’s hardly surprising if they’re not feeling fresh when they return. Everyone needs a break, after all, and if your employees aren’t getting that then mornings will never feel pleasant.
The best way around this issue is to simply make sure that your team members have a reasonable amount of time to complete their daily workloads while they’re at the office. You should certainly avoid overloading teams with work that they’ll inevitably have to take home.
If employees are completing evening work off their own backs, it may also be worth implementing efforts like business-wide switch-offs past a certain point, or simply outlining a clear end time in their contracts. And, of course, make sure you’re not contacting employees for non-emergent work outside of office hours.
# 3 – It’s Always Straight to Work
No one wants to arrive at work and rush straight into a heavy day, and expecting your employees to do that means you can hardly be surprised by their morning frowns. Not only will your team dread this kind of arrival, but it may also actually hinder productivity by removing their chance to get on top of the day’s tasks.
A gentle start is a far better option for everyone, and could involve something as simple as giving everyone time to head to the local coffee cart before you begin delegating. Age-old morning meetings can also prove effective for this purpose, as they provide the opportunity to both start slowly, and provide a clear outline for the day’s expectations.
If you’re not afraid of a flexible approach, you may even find that a staggered arrival time between, say, 9-9.30 each morning works to ensure everyone can get going at a pace that suits them.
# 4 – A Wider Sign of Discontent
Sadly, negative morning vibes can also be a sign of a wider issue of discontent amongst your employees. After all, no one embraces the idea of returning to do a job they don’t enjoy or looks forward to entering a negative environment. If large numbers of your team seem reluctant or unenthusiastic on arrival, it’s worth asking yourself whether this could be the case.
This can be a hard pill to swallow, but you must get to the bottom of issues like this as soon as possible to avoid issues that stretch well beyond office mornings. You may simply find that your management style doesn’t work for all employees, in which case you could perhaps discuss potential improvements that make those individuals feel more positive about getting down to work.
Or, perhaps there are larger issues at play that you aren’t aware of, such as workplace bullying or discrimination. In this instance, working closely with your HR department and the employee in question is your best option. Taking prompt disciplinary action against perpetrators in these instances could have an immediately positive impact on your workplace, and the morning mindsets of your entire team.
Takeaway
The right start to the day can have a huge impact on workplace outcomes, so you must take action if you notice a negative morning mood right now. Simple shifts like improving your office lobby or making mornings a little slower could see your team smiling and settling down to some of their best work in no time, never mind the early hour!
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team