Curtis Swanson on Workplace Energization Tips

Workplace success usually boils down to a handful of crucial factors, but one tends to stand out -- both in its importance and its susceptibility to being overlooked by some companies: employee morale. Without motivated workers, you cannot hope to see consistent productivity throughout a normal work week, or at least productivity that is reflective of your company’s full potential. As a leader, you will want to strive for a workplace culture that fosters not only progressive vision, but the components responsible for bringing this vision to life.
Here are a few tips for keeping your workplace energized.

Celebrate success
It is important to have a short memory as a business leader, as too much kicking back will likely result in a disturbing blindside to company goals. However, this notion does not mean you cannot celebrate success now and then. If your company hits its monthly goals, completes an important project or transaction, or simply exhibits strong work for a continued period of time, make sure to occasionally reward this hard work with something fun. Plan a company outing, an in-office party, or perhaps even a day off (as long as your schedule and pacing allow for it). These periodic events will be sure you keep your workers happy, as they will be able to view their work schedules as segmented goal plans (“if we work hard for this long, we will be able to have fun on this day in a few weeks.”)

Keep a level playing field
A great way to boost employee energy is to proactively eliminate workplace drama, and a great way to achieve this goal is to make sure you are keeping your workplace level. In other words, do not play favorites and “share the limelight” when addressing employee accomplishment. If you only highlight the efforts of a handful of your workers, other workers will likely convert this favoritism — intentional or not — into resentment, which might be detrimental to their work morale (after all, who wants to work hard for someone who barely acknowledges them). That said, do not throw praise at workers when it is not warranted — everything should be handled as organically as possible.

Play the part
If the leader of a workplace is constantly energized and happy, his or her workers will likely reciprocate these emotions on most days. Obviously, it is impossible to be motivated and upbeat 100 percent of the time, but if you hold a leadership role, try your best to model this work approach as often as possible. If your office is looking a little lethargic, give your workers a helpful pep talk, tell a joke (workplace appropriate, of course), or think outside the box in terms of giving them the jolt they need. Just make sure you are not overstepping your boundaries (sometimes, bad days just need to happen).

About the author

Curtis Swanson is the COO of ClearCyte Diagnostics, a cancer screening company in Bellevue, Washington. Curtis's company is dedicated to the international marketing of medical screening to a wide range of markets. Additionally, he has experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, accounting GAAP & FASB, and business operational management. Throughout his career, Curtis has proven himself as a leader, innovator, and developer.

Learn more about Curtis Swanson here.