How can I boost the morale of an entire store composed of about 145 employees?

Lots of opinions, few really get to the heart of the matter. There are volumes of research of what does and doesn't work. Things like raises and parties are short lived. The most important things you can do to improve morale are:

. Recognition
. Be available
. Build a team of people that like being together
. Create a reason for them to get excited
. Ensure the environment is "good enough"
. Ensure their wages are fair compared to other similar places.

So, let's dive into these a bit more:

. Recognition
- You need to "catch" people doing things right. Many people underestimate the value of saying "thank you" sincerely while you look somone in the eye. A handwritten thank you note that says "I noticed you cared or were working hard, or really went out of your way to help that customer, or co-worker, or whatever" is huge. So, by the way, are "happy birthday" or "happy anniversary" (whether it's marriage or the anniversary of their job). Go out and buy some nice professional thank you notes. Also buy standard "notes" that have a nice picture but nothing else. And, buy some nice birthday cards. Don't expense them.... it's about YOU recognizing them not the company.
- If you have the ability to provide company recognition then look into that. I DO NOT recommend employee of the month or other kinds of incentive programs like this when there are only 145 employees because they will ultimately be looked upon as a popularity contest.
- Read up on and see if you can develop a peer employee recognition program. These are not easy and can easily be gamed, but having one employee "noticing" another employee for doing GREAT is one of the most powerful impacts (Peer recognition is off the charts huge).
. Be available
- You have to be present. If you are the leader of these folks... you have to be among them. If you are sitting in the office all day.... you've already failed. Get on the floor. Talk to the shipping clerks. DO NOT HAVE AN AGENDA. Ask them how they are doing. Ask them how they think morale is. Ask them, "if you have $50 to spend to make an impact on everyone..., what would you do". You might be very suprised by the answer. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that employees don't like their manager's to be around. That's only true if you're a jerk that's self serving and constantly critisizing. How much do you know about your employees? Individually? Are you embarrassed you don't know more? Don't sweat it.... start doing some MBWA (Management By Wandering Around) and admit to them you don't know a lot about them... and ask them. Ask them their interests, their goals (Education. life whatever). Ease into this, though. In fact, you might want to get everyone together and tell them that you're dissapointed in yourself because you have been as present and around "the team" as you feel you should. Appologize that you don't know them as well as you'd like and tell them that you're going to start being more "visible" and "engaged"... not because there's anything wrong but because you genuinely think you have a great team and hate that you don't know people well enough. That way, they won't wonder "why" you're asking questions.
. Build a team of people that like being together
- How's the team? Have you got some really great performers that are absolute nightmares to work with? Put em on a performance plan to change their attitude. Give them one shot to do it better and if they don't... tell them to leave or fire them. Got people who just can't get it done and could care less. Put them on a plan and get rid of them. Got some people who are the PERFECT people but they are struggling? Bring them in and coach and encourage them and help them do better. Assign, or better ask them to find, a mentor. Monitor and support them. Got absolute super stars? Bring them and tell them so. Tell them you notice how capable they are. Find out what their aspirations are and see what you can do. If they aren't leaders but would like to be someday, find a way to get them some exposure... with no risk. See... here's the deal. Every company has employees that are absolute POISON to the others but are great at their job. Everybody knows these people are less than human beings. They are bullies, the are backbiters, they are simply poison the team. Everybody know this. You probably do too. Everybody also knows YOU aren't doing anything about it. What do you think that tells them? Mainly, it tells them that, as long as you're good at your job you can be an absolute prick. Is that the team you want????? Everyone also knows you have lazy, deadbeats that are beating the system. So do you... expect you aren't doing anything about it. They know that too. So, you're telling them that just getting buy, or being savvy enough to get over is the way to win. Is that the team you want???? There are those who are scared to death of being fired because they struggle. Yet, these people are wonderful... the perfect kind of attitude, helpful, supportive. And... they are SCARED TO DEATH because they can't hide that they don't know the job as well as someone else. Give me a great attitude and potential apptitude ANY day over a fully skilled but bad attitude employee. You also have superstars. They know it. The others know it. you know it. Only, they don't know YOU know it. That's why you tell them. They also have great attitudes. Have them help the others that are "keepers" but are struggling. Challenge them to teach them rather than do it for them. If you do nothing else in this write up but this... this alone could double morale. I've done about 7 management turnaround jobs in my career with as few as 20 and as many as 1,000 people. This was always the lynchpin that changed the game. I've also had 6 successful turnarounds.
. Create a reason for them to get excited
- A lot of times, people do the job but they don't excited about it. It's understandable and we all can get like that. You need to create some healthy competition, or a "reason to be". Don't make it internal, from a job perspective (Although having departmental softball or other kinds of fun competition between groups can be good). Who can you make the "enemy"? Look at some of the best college sports teams in the country. They have these deep and longstanding rivalries. Do you think it's by chance? Heck no. It's by plan. When Woody Hayes decided he hated Michigan, it really wasn't because Woody hated Michigan (Ok.. well, maybe in his case it was... but stil..). It was because he could create FIRE IN THE BELLY of his players. That is one of the most prolific and longstanding rivalries and even in the bad years... that game (Ohio State vs Michigan) gets everybody pumped. Who can you make the enemy... the rival. Another store? A competitor. Your results the previous year? NOT THE CUSTOMER PLEASE :) Keep it light but find a common goal that people can 'fight" for.
. Ensure the environment is "good enough"
- A lot of people believe that working conditions are a big deal. In fact, "good enough" is important. If you are in a position that employees can have a say in the environment, go for it. Don't be overly excessive with a lot "policies" where you don't have to. Give people as much freedom as is practical. Be good enough.
. Ensure their wages are fair compared to other similar places.
- This is the other topic that always comes up. "It's all about the money". Reality is, it is... and it ain't. No questions people work to get paid. BUT, it is the least "sticky" reason why they stay. Will people leave if you don't pay enough? Yep... if you're under the standard for the class of employee and market... you're not in a good place. Will people leave for the same money? Nope... not if you have THE place they want to work (See all of the points above). Will they leave for more money? Yes.... but only if they believe it will be better. Most studies will show that there's about a 5 - 10% "cushion" if the employee is happy and engaged. You would actually accept making a little less in exchange for their satisfaction. To be clear though... this will not typically be true of people who are living at a subsistence level or can't make ends meet. It often will hold otherwise.

Of the last five positions I've held over the last decade, I followed the advice I'm giving you. The average employee turnover in the companies I worked for were around 10 -15%. The average turnover on the teams I lead were less than 5%.

I hope this helps.