"Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used for the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others."
Yes, I got this from Wikipedia. It doesn't matter where it came from, because I can give you several definitions and they would come out about the same. Everyone knows what morale is. We all know what good morale is and what bad morale is. However, I'll give you some generalities. Good morale is the loyalty a person feels for the company he or she works for. Bad morale is when they feel as though they have been cheated out of something by the company they work for but see no way of getting out of it.
Good morale comes from incentives--and the company's ability to make good on the incentives. Bad morale comes from the company changing things suddenly and without notice so that the employees become depressed/upset/demoralized enough that they become unproductive. It has been seen that some companies will intentionally produce bad morale so that they can make a clean sweep of their people and hire new ones. It has also been seen that companies do what they can to produce good morale so that their employees are happy--happy employees are productive and try their hardest to raise revenue more than depressed/upset/demoralized employees do.
I think that this is a lesson that all businesses, whether they be retail, non-profit, academic, or whatever, should take heed of. I realize that costs are rising. I realize that there are a lot of companies who are going down the drain because of the economy. But take a look at the ones that are not tanking. Apple, Google, and even some small businesses are able to create incentives that motivate, even for the lower pay that many people are getting in today's economy.
There is something wrong, however, when a large company that employs over 500 people cannot keep up the morale even with some incentives. Monthly one day off awards for one person, one annual week-long appreciation event that someone may not be able to attend because the office can't spare them, and a lessening in holidays does not provide enough incentive for the employees. They are low paid, their health insurance premium is over 1/3 of what they make in gross pay (and will go up, along with deductibles and co-pays), and they are treated as though they are afterthoughts or children being placated.
I can't wait to start my own business. I realize that what I make will probably end up looking worse than what I am making now, but at least I won't be dissatisfied with my work. I do too much for too little, and I won't be getting even a cost of living raise. I have never gotten a merit raise, even though I have done above average work, above and beyond what has been asked. I'm sick and tired of being treated as though I don't matter--that I don't have any reason to complain because at least I have a job. Pretty soon, though, it's not going to be worth me having a job. The insurance alone will see to that. What I make I'll spend in gas money and after-school/summer day camp fees. It's not worth it. I pay more for health insurance than I would if I were to go to the doctor the one time a year I go and pay on my own.
Is this job worth it? Is any job worth the stress? Can I honestly say that I have bad morale? I think so.
3 comments:
We are dealing with some of what you talked about. Our insurance premiums went up this year but the level of coverage went down and Jay didnt get a cost of living raise for the first time. So he took a pay cut for more work, he was given more and new work. IT STINKS!
Yes, not to mention the moral lowering effect of constantly being told you are not doing a good job because one person put a blank comment card in the suggestion box that does not say who, what, where, when or how but somebody was not "nice". Let's not be supportive to the workers who stay late and bend over backwards to help the students-just chastise everyone for something we really have no clue even happened. Sometimes I wonder why we even bother to show up! Not that anyone would miss us, because only a couple people's voices are heard anyway!
Wendy--I'm sorry you are having to go through this, too. We are not doing badly, Brandon's practice is doing well and we are getting ahead of the bills, but it's just about not worth it for me to work anymore. If we can find the same or better coverage in insurance for cheaper or the same amount as what I have now, I'm going to cut out my insurance completely. I still don't know that I'll work here much longer, I'm looking elsewhere, but at least we could in some way keep from paying out the butt, lol.
Vandy (or I assume so, lol)--I know. There is absolutely no support for a job well-done. I think that they take all the stuff that MIGHT be bad and twist it so that even if you do well, they still won't have to give merit raises. Don't think that I won't do more than is asked of me. I'm tired of that.
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