Team Morale and Engagement: E-Equity and Transparency

The E in MORALE is Equity and Transparency. Our parents told us that life is not fair. This is often true in life but it should not be the rule in our work lives. Very few things impact employee morale more than a belief that personal relationships and biases are the primary determinants of how they are paid, viewed, and rewarded at work. When employees do not understand the system for calculating bonuses and then see the best bonuses going to those who the boss “likes,” they will lose their zeal for going “above and beyond” the call of duty. This is a common phenomena in many organizations and something to which senior management should pay attention. Every organization should have a transparent performance evaluation and bonus system. Managers should spend a comparable amount of time with all direct reports and other members organization, being careful not to appear to favor some over others. If employees value the tangible and intangible organizational rewards and believe that everyone on the team is subject to the same rules, they will strive to excel and exceed the basic standards of performance.