Employee engagement recently hit a 10-year low. Now, more than ever, employees are struggling to connect with their teams and feel motivated in their work. 

Many feel they lack clear work expectations, encouragement for development, and people who genuinely care about them at work. 

Low workplace morale affects every aspect of the company from team connection to productivity. Disengagement is the silent killer of organizational health. 

While some of this stems from broader cultural and economic factors, employee engagement starts within the office environment. Fortunately, there are key steps managers can take to make a meaningful difference. 

Emphasize Appreciation & Recognition 

Publicly recognizing your team’s impact, value, and milestones is a small way to make a large impact. It’s one of the biggest drivers of employee engagement, as employees are 2.7x more likely to be highly engaged if they believe they will be recognized.  This helps boost workplace morale and fosters an optimistic culture. 

Here are a few ways to recognize your employees: 

• Start a monthly recognition program: Have peers or leadership nominate team members to be recognized each month for their hard work and accomplishments.  

• Acknowledge milestones and accomplishments: When your team hits big career milestones and anniversaries, shoot them a quick message to congratulate them. 

• Make your recognition specific and personal: Highlight their specific strengths and achievements so your team knows it comes from an authentic place.  

Support Employee Wellbeing 

Burnout is one of the top contributors to disengagement and low workplace morale. When employees feel overworked and unsupported, their productivity and morale take a hit. Leaders can directly counter this by prioritizing wellbeing as a business imperative.  

Prioritizing mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing shows your team that you care beyond deadlines and deliverables. Further, companies that invest in wellness programs see a 6:1 return on investment through reduced absenteeism and health costs. 

• Offer mental health resources: Partner with Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), promote mental health days, and normalize conversations around stress. 

• Encourage time off: Leaders should model healthy boundaries by taking and encouraging real breaks. 

• Host wellness activities: Consider offering guided meditation sessions, yoga classes, or “no meeting” focus afternoons once a month. 

Provide Workplace Flexibility 

Flexibility is becoming the cornerstone of workplace culture. It’s a top priority for employees as they want more control over when and where they work. Providing flexibility with remote work and schedules is a win-win. Employees are happier and it improves productivity.  

Here are some ways to create a more flexible workplace: 

• Create flexible scheduling guidelines: Whether it’s remote work, compressed workweeks, or flexible hours, let teams customize their schedules based on needs. 

• Focus on outcomes, not hours: Define clear deliverables and trust your team to meet them without micromanaging time online. 

• Build in flexibility for life moments: Life happens. Show compassion and flexibility when your team is juggling work and sick kids, last-minute appointments, or mental health days.  

Schedule Company Outings 

Connection and community are the core of a great workplace morale. Team outings offer a break from routine, help team members bond, and strengthen the sense of community. By fostering strong relationships among your team, you’ll see stronger teamwork and smoother communication.  

To create enjoyable company outings, follow these guidelines: 

• Offer variety: Mix casual happy hours with more structured events like team volunteering, escape rooms, or offsite strategy sessions. 

• Make it inclusive: Rotate times and locations so everyone—remote or local—has a chance to participate. Consider virtual events for distributed teams. 

• Invite input: Let employees suggest and vote on activities to increase excitement and buy-in. 

Have Clear Growth Paths 

One of the fastest ways to lose workplace morale is for employees to feel that they’ve reached a dead end. When employees can’t see how they’ll develop or advance, they disengage. On the flip side, when your team has a clear vision of success and how they can get there, they’re more likely to stay motivated. 

• Host quarterly career conversations: Move beyond annual reviews and hold regular 1:1s focused on growth, skill-building, and career goals. 

• Share promotion frameworks: Outline the expectations and benchmarks needed to level up. Transparency empowers growth. 

• Invest in development: Offer learning stipends, mentorship programs, or access to online courses tailored to team interests and goals. 

Reinforce Purpose and Team Connection 

Employees want to feel that their work matters and that they’re contributing to something bigger than themselves. When that purpose is reinforced regularly, and tied to their individual efforts, it strengthens commitment and workplace morale. 

Actionable Tips: 

• Connect the dots: Help teams understand how their work impacts customers, revenue, or mission. “Because of your work on [X], we were able to [Y].” 

• Share wins company-wide: Regularly celebrate team contributions in leadership updates or company meetings. 

• Build trust with open communication: Transparency from leadership about business goals and challenges fosters respect and alignment. 

Improving workplace morale is an ongoing investment. It requires building a culture where people feel seen, supported, and inspired. When executives and managers take consistent, human-centered action, they create the kind of workplace that retains talent and helps teams thrive.