The Basics of Teacher Team Building – Part 7 – WHAT ARE SOME STAFF MOTIVATION/MORALE-BUILDING IDEAS
WHAT ARE SOME STAFF MOTIVATION/MORALE-BUILDING IDEAS:
- Humor Area: Set up a “humor room” or add a bulletin board in a high traffic area. Post funny articles, cartoons, quotes, etc. Buy an assortment of books, magazines, games, videos, and other props. Encourage staff to take humor breaks. Give small humorous gifts to your clients.
- Witty Words: Include humor in your correspondence to clients and staff. Add it to your sales publications and newsletters.
- Humor in the Environment: Brighten your space with humorous posters and pictures. Encourage others to do the same.
- Theme Day: Designate once a month or maybe each Friday as a “special” day: Casual Day, Christmas in July, or Beach Retreat. Post these ideas so your patients can share in the fun and camaraderie.
- Wear Your Humor: Send out a comical message by wearing a funny pin, tie, or even a hat. This is a great icebreaker to the monthly meeting! “What will that guy come up with next?!”
- Staff Development: Offer a program for your staff on humor. Let them experience the positive benefits that laughter brings to an organization and the team. Work with a professional humorist to adapt a lighter work environment.
- Special Events: Schedule regular “stress buster” events. Try adding employee appreciation events. Make up special days – Aloha Fridays, Chinese Buffet Getaway Day. Be creative on April Fool’s Day, Groundhog Day or celebrate April as National Humor Month. There are many affordable theme stores or websites to gather unique ideas and inexpensive novelties from to add to the celebration.
- Sunshine Club: Establish a group who plans and implements a variety of activities throughout the year with or without small financial contributions monthly by the employees.
- Theme days – i.e. Western day
- White board in bathroom with trivia, questions of the day, jokes, picture-caption contest, etc.
- Breakfast or lunch for staff once a month
- Employee of the month parking spot
- Staff appreciation week
- Staff spotlight or employee of the month board
- Star board (bulletin board with blank stars so parents and co-workers can write thank you notes to staff and post publicly)
- Appoint a social coordinator to keep track of birthdays and anniversaries and makes sure they are recognized
- Monthly contest – cleaning, best bulletin board, most process art, door decorating, etc
- Friendly Fridays – rooms rotate the responsibility of bringing in treats for all staff
- Monthly raffles/guessing jars
- Potlucks
- Staff family picnic
- Yearly goofy award dinner (i.e. “most flexible employee” receives bendy toy, “most creative employee” gets art supplies, etc…)
- Support the staff’s need for professional development by offering workshops and speakers at meetings
- Thorough new staff orientation plan including follow-up and expectations
- Have an open forum at staff meetings so teachers help each other solve problems
- Delegate jobs to staff that use/develop their skills
- Provide a clean, organized, cozy staff lounge
- Let teachers lead parts of staff meetings
- Start a bowling or softball team and join a league
- Do a service activity together (i.e. adopt a family, meals on wheels, etc.)
- Motivation Bag – small bag with items such as:
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- Penny – for luck
- Lifesavers – “To save you on those days when nothing seems to go the right way!”
- Smarties – for extra brain power
- Starbursts – “To reflect the “burst” of happiness you bring to so many children”
- Rubber Band – demonstrates flexibility
- Crayon – “To color the day bright and cheerful”
- Seed packets – “To have a ‘Bloomin’ day!
- Mints – “You’re worth a ‘MINT’ to us”
- Frames – “Thanks for a PICTURE perfect day”
- Playdough – “For MOLDING the future”
- Candles – “For lighting up the lives of the children in your care”
Part 8 – TOP 10 QUALITIES OF A GREAT TEACHER