• According to the Harvard Business Review, building employee morale during layoffs and downsizing need not be a daunting task. Managers can lessen the anxiety and stress that is associated with the possibility of a job loss by using simple strategies that can help employees refocus their dedication to their organization. Improving the morale of workers helps to increase employee productivity, builds camaraderie and creates an enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace.
  
  

Employee Recognition and Awards

• Recognizing an employee's personal accomplishments by giving awards is common practice in most workplaces. Managers can treat a group of employees to lunch or offer flowers and small gifts for individual achievements. Employee recognition makes workers feel valued; this gesture encourages employees to demonstrate their loyalty to a company. Other approaches for recognizing employees includes offering financial rewards and holding contests.
  
  

Professional Training and Development

• Professional training and development is an important strategy for building employee morale, and is essential to keeping up with the constant technological transformations that occur in the workplace. Employee training workshops and seminars help workers stay current with developments in their field. In addition to conducting on-site training, managers should also encourage their employees to attend professional conferences.
  
  

Develop Personal Relationships

• Managers should get to know their workers by taking a personal interest in their lives. Simple strategies like remembering birthdays, asking about employees about their hobbies or interests, and learning about their family life are effective approaches for building personal relationships with workers.
  
  

Host Office Parties

• In addition to developing personal relationships with workers, managers can host office parties as a way of building employee morale and providing an opportunity for employees to get to know their co-workers in a less formal setting. Ideal times for throwing office parties include Christmas or when celebrating company related special events.
  
  

Conduct Employee Surveys

• Learning how workers feel about their job is a useful strategy used by managers to make important administrative changes, and helps to deter losing valuable workers. Administering surveys that address employee satisfaction, and having a follow-up roundtable meeting to evaluate the findings from a survey are helpful strategies for boosting employee morale. Mangers should also use roundtable meetings to discuss conflict resolution and to demonstrate their employee support.
  
  

Organize Community Service Projects

• Organizing a community service project gives employees a chance to interact with their co-workers and the broader community. Serving in community services like soup kitchens or animal shelters also gives workers a chance to engage in a meaningful activity and gain useful life skills by interacting with people in an environment that is outside the workplace.