Central Penn Business Journal, January 3, 2003

Boosting morale is more important than ever
By Christina Olenchek, Staff Writer

Administrators from Blue Ball National Bank occasionally call each of the bank’s branch offices and ask employees trivia questions. The questions are about subjects such as products, new services, and banking hours. Workers from the branch that answers the most questions correctly get treated to a nice lunch.

Ok, so maybe the prize isn’t as glamorous as it might be on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” But the game is a good way to keep bank employees energized about their jobs, said Shannan Guthrie, public relations manager for the Lancaster County-based bank. “It’s a way to keep people learning about the products”, she said.

The bank’s trivia game is one of many ways Central Pennsylvania employers try to inject some fun into the workplace and boost employee morale. The concept of workplace activities isn’t new. But observers said such activities are even more important in tough economic times because many workers feel uncertain about their futures.

“Many corporations are under a lot of stress right now,” said Dennis Mellot, director of Adventure Challenge Experience, and employee training and team-building firm in Mount Gretna. “People need these activities more now than ever.”

Companies should encourage workplace activities because they enhance employee recruitment and retention efforts, said Ira Wolfe, founder and owner of Success Performance Solutions, a workforce consulting firm in Leola. An employee with high morale also tends to be a more productive employee, said Michelle Stuck of Kuntz Lesher, an accounting firm in Manor Township, Lancaster County.

“Our field is very competitive,” said Stuck, Kuntz Lesher’s administrative manager. “If you have happy employees, they’re going to be more productive, and they’re going to want to stay here.”

The activities also can give companies an opportunity to give back to their communities, said Erin Rabuck, marketing and recruitment coordinator for Big Brothers-Big Sisters of the Capital Region, Harrisburg. For example, about 130 employees from 12 area companies participate in the nonprofit’s corporate mentoring program.

The employees travel to schools once a week and spend about an hour with their Little Brothers or Little Sisters.

Several Central Pennsylvania organizations said they have increased the number of employee activities in recent years. But Wolfe and Mellott said they feared that companies under increasing financial pressure might turn to cutting such activities.

People often think of big parties when they think of employee activities. Wolfe said there are many simple things employers can do to boost morale, such as saying “thank you” more often and giving out movie tickets or gift certificates.

Managers at Memorial Hospital in Spring Garden Township occasionally go around the hospital with baskets full of candy to distribute to employees. Those thoughtful perks are especially helpful when there a lot of patients in the hospital and workers’ stress levels are high, said Amy Fink, spokeswoman for the York County hospital. “It gives them a boost when they’re really busy,” Fink said.

Employers must work continuously to make the workplace fun, Mellott said. One or two annual events is not enough to create an enjoyable environment, Wolfe said. In fact, Wolfe added, one big event might be detrimental because it temporarily boosts morale but leaves employees more disappointed when they come back to the drudgery of their jobs.

“I’m a firm believer that companies need to have a strategic plan to make this happen,” Mellott said. “It doesn’t just happen on its own.”

Wolfe said the most important thing employees can do to create an enjoyable environment is to keep a positive attitude. Employees’ complaints about their work or personal lives drag everybody down, he said. “At work, be careful not to use your co-workers as a dumping ground for your problems,” Wolfe said.