5. SUPERVISION AND EMPLOYEE MORALE Motivation in any endeavor is a function of the morale of the individual. Motivation can be based on needs and wants, and morale, like motivation, is a state of mind, or how the individual feels about things. When morale is high, the individual generally feels good about things, optimistic, enthusiastic, and energetic. Low morale produces opposing feelings. Many things affect morale like health, the work environment, family experiences, supervision, the company the individual works for, and the condition of the individual's community, state, nation, and the world. It is not a result of a single attitude or feeling, but a combination of several factors. Morale specifically related to the work place will certainly affect an employees willingness to work. It varies based upon how intensely the individual employee feels about work and the work place. Some employees work 100% of the time, and generally their morale is very high. Others take a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. Their indifference is difficult to interpret, but certainly affects their performance. Individual differences affect morale. Those who believe that "idle hands are the devil's workshop" tend to approach work with vigor and a positive frame of mind. However, they are not happy at work and do not display good morale unless they are working at a meaningful job. If they consider themselves to be "underemployed" then they may find work distasteful and put a high premium on leisure time. Does supervision affect morale? Yes. The way an individual is supervised has a direct bearing on their morale. Morale is always present. Sometimes it is high and sometimes it is low, but it is never absent. On a continuum, there exists some point between extremely good and very poor. Supervisors cannot use their authority to order employees to have high morale. It cannot be purchased. The only thing the effective supervisor can do is to create a healthy climate in which high morale can develop. High morale develops out of good human relations, good employee motivation, respect for the individual, recognition of individual differences, good supervision, good communication, understanding, counseling, and other effective supervisory practices. Morale varies from day to day. It can spread in a contagious fashion, but can erode just as quickly. The effective supervisor then, needs to exert daily energy to maintain a satisfactory level of morale among employees. Employees are individually affected by the morale the effective supervisor develops. The effects of good morale are these: 1. Work is a pleasure not a chore. 2. Working with others is a source of satisfaction rather than a source of ill feelings. 3. Employees are usually pleased with their jobs and have confidence in their abilities to get their work done. In attempting to understand what affects morale, the supervisor must begin with the individual. Some things cannot be changed. An employee with family problems may experience a period of low morale. Although the supervisor cannot change these conditions, he or she can be aware of their existence and do whatever he or she can to ameliorate them. Helping the employee to "get it off his chest" whatever is upsetting him. Encouraging the employee to talk about personal issues does not eliminate them, but certainly can aid in making the employee feel as if the supervisor understands and may even empathize with them. Employee morale is influenced by factors that are within supervision's control. These include job security, adequate compensation for work performed, working conditions, interesting work, and recognition for a job done well. All these factors affect morale, and neglecting them may cause a decrease in employee morale. How and what the supervisor does and says directly affects employee morale. His or her approach to supervision, direction, and leadership all have a direct effect on morale. If a supervisor loses his or her temper, shows a condition of fear, indicates a sense of insecurity about him or herself, employee morale will be affected. The effective supervisor needs to lead in a positive way. He or she needs to seek out an employees' help to correct an error that has been made rather than to try and hid a problem. Confident leadership begets confident employees and creates a work climate where morale can be high. High morale does not always ensure high productivity. High morale can place an employee in a frame of mind to increase productivity. If good supervision and good working conditions are present, morale will be affected and productivity generally will increase. Can morale be measured? Yes. The following are examples of the kinds of questions the effective supervisors can ask their employees to ascertain what morale climate exists. George (1979) maintained that "Morale surveys have another advantage: they focus management's attention on morale and its importance to the company, making supervisors 'morale-conscious'" (p. 71). What are some of the signs of low morale? Though this is not an all-inclusive list, here are some of them: 1. High employee turnover. 2. No respect for supervisors. 3. Low productivity. 4. Excessive waste. 5. Large number of grievances. 6. High number of accidents. 7. General lack of cooperation. 8. Poor quality of production. 9. Low regard for the company. 10. Excessive lateness. 11. Excessive sick leaves. 12. Leaving work early. 13. Long lunch periods. 14. Excessive one-day absences. 15. Excessive rumor-mongering (George, 1970, p. 74). The effective supervisor needs to keep these signs of low morale in mind and should take immediate steps to change the conditions and help change the attitude causing the low state of morale. What can a supervisor do to help build morale? George (1979) suggested the following strategies to accomplish this: 1. Develop an understanding and appreciation of the employee as a person; 2. Be sure that his pay is just and fair and in line with pay for comparable jobs in the community; 3. Look after the general working conditions making sure of comfort, safety, and cleanliness; 4. Periodically talk with each employee about his or her job performance, his progress, and the opportunities that might lie ahead for him; 5. Point out his or her need (if any) for additional skills, training, or education in order for him to take advantage of future opportunities (p. 75). The closer a supervisor is with his or her employees the more effective he or she will be in raising and maintaining the level of morale in his or her department. It is as simple as that.