Rebuild morale both inside and outside

QI was recently put in charge of a department that has been suffering from low morale. The team fills some lower skill roles in the company and is generally not treated with respect. What can I do to rebuild their spirit?

AFocus on the team members' feelings about their jobs, but also on others in your company and how they behave toward them.

The inner game

First, prepare to take on disrespectful behavior from outside the team. Imagine your company without this group and the tasks they perform. You'll find that their contributions are essential to the success of your company. While you may already be conscious of that, compelling images of life without the team will be helpful in turning around your less-enlightened colleagues.

These colleagues may also not realize the ways in which they show disrespect. Gather examples of the large and small things they do that undermine this team's pride. Consider having discussion sessions with your team members to understand their point of view, giving quieter members of the group a chance to drop you a note or talk to you individually. Ask them, too, what some of the small things are that other employees could do to show respect.

Then focus on your team, considering each person individually to understand their strengths and contributions. If it's a large team, work with the managers or supervisors who know them best. Focus, too, on what types of recognition would be most appreciated, and which could backfire.

Finally, determine what types of resources you have at hand to provide rewards. Identify funds for awards, if any are available, or investigate other corporate recognition systems.

First and foremost, the tearing down needs to stop. Get together with heads of other departments and share your concerns, being specific with your examples and advocating for the value the team provides. At the same time, get their feedback on legitimate improvements that your team may need to make. Then provide some of the suggestions offered by employees as ways to show respect. These may include:

•Greeting them in the hallway.

•Dropping any jokes about the team that may have emerged ... no "it's so easy even a __ could do it."

•Phrasing requests politely: "please" vs. "I need you to ...."

To get your team re-engaged, build a culture of internal acknowledgement, where employees recognize each other. If you don't have staff meetings, start, including time for recognition. Model this yourself to set a clear expectation. Also have some more tangible awards; even small gift cards send a positive message.

The last word