Boosting employee morale: The secret’s in the talk

What’s the key to having happy, engaged employees? According to a recent Accountemps survey, it’s all about communication. In fact, one-third of HR professionals surveyed named lack of open communication as the leading contributor to low employee morale.

Not a shocking finding, in my view. Most of us who have worked in an office probably can attest to feeling unhappy and disengaged when we feel out of the loop, even if it’s unintentional or for a short time.

But what can we do about it? In an age of increasing electronic communication, it’s a constant battle just to stay on top of email. Is there a way to communicate smarter?

Social networking may provide an answer. While it won’t change a boss who shares information only on a need-to-know basis, an internal social network can help break down company silos and enhance communication between work groups.

I work in an organization that just started using Yammer, a private social network that allows you to collaborate and connect with your co-workers. Whether you work in a company of 10 people or 10,000, it can be an effective communication tool for your organization.

After a few months of use, here are my top five benefits of Yammer:

1.    It’s easy to use – The layout is very similar to Facebook, where you set up a profile and can share information about yourself.

2.    It’s private – Only people with your company email address can join your network.

3.    You can share what you want and determine who sees it – From updates and events to videos, polls or praise, you can share information with everyone in your organization, or select people or groups.  

4.    It brings together people who may not work in the same location – The mobile apps are easy to download and keep people in the field up-to-speed.

5.    It’s free! (There are paid upgrades, but you can get a lot out of the free version.)

A number of companies have found success using Yammer to change how they do business and re-engage employees, including Air Canada, Northwind Hotels, LexisNexis and Jamba Juice. Maybe you can relate to their stories. By facilitating information-sharing, Yammer can help build company culture and increase employee morale.

In the end, however, a communication tool as only as strong as the commitment of those who use it, so if you’re thinking about getting started on Yammer, you may want to read this article about the best way to use the tool: Top 5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Network a Success.

References:

1. “Build an internal social network that fosters employee collaboration.” Ragan Training, November 2013, accessed February 21, 2014, http://ragantraining.com/video/build-internal-social-network-fosters-employee-collaboration.
2. Facebook. “CEO of Northwind Hotels shares a story of enterprise collaboration.” Facebook.com. https://www.facebook.com/IdeaCage/posts/370983013032317 (accessed February 21, 2014).
3. “Lack of communication main source of low employee morale.” Canadian HR Reporter, October 22, 2013, accessed February 21, 2014, http://www.hrreporter.com/articleview/19165-lack-of-communication-main-source-of-low-employee-morale-survey.
4. Rouse, Kathleen, “Top 5 Things You Can Do to Make Your Network a Success,” Yammer.com, August 7, 2013, accessed February 21, 2014, https://about.yammer.com/yammer-blog/top-5-network-success/.
5. Yammer. “Billy’s Yammer Moment: Contributing to the Business in Unexpected Ways.” Yammer.com. https://about.yammer.com/yammer-blog/billys-yammer-moment-contributing-business-unexpected-ways/ (accessed February 21, 2014).
   —, “Home page.” Yammer.com. https://www.yammer.com/?return_home=true (accessed February 21, 2014).
   —, “Shawna’s Yammer Moment: Accelerating Her Career at Jamba Juice.” Yammer.com. https://about.yammer.com/yammer-blog/shawnas-yammer-moment-accelerating-career-jamba-juice/ (accessed February 21, 2014).