MORALE : BRIEF OUTLINE OF THE MEANING,FACTORS,CAUSE AND METHODS TO BOOST THE MORALE

• MORALE
  ORGANIZATION BEHAVIOR
• MEANING AND DEFINITION
• MORAL IS AN INTANGIBLE TERM.DEFINED DIFFERENTLY BY DIFFERENT PERSONS.
• MORAL OF GROUP IS KNOWN AS ESPRIT DE CORPS,IN MILITARY IT MEANS ENTHUSIASM TO ACCOMPLISH THE ASSIGNED TASK,SELF CONFIDENCE OF TEAM IN SPORTS,EAGERNESS TO LEARN BY STUDENTS IN EDUCATION.
• MORAL MEANS THE CAPACITY OF THE PEOPLE TO MAINTAIN BELIEF IN ONE SELF OR THE OTHERS OR A GOAL OR AN INSTITUTION, IT IS AN OVERALL ATTITUDE OF AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP TOWARDS ALL ASPECTS OF WORK,WHATSOEVER IT IS.
• ALEXANDER H.LEIGHTON,: MORALE IS THE CAPACITY OF A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO PULL TOGETHER PERSISTENTLY AND CONSTENTLY IN PURSUIT OF COMMON PURPOSE.
• DEFINITION BY MICHAEL J JUSIUS
• MORALE CONSISTS OF WHAT IT IS? WHAT DOES IT DO? WHERE DOES IT RESIDE? WHAT DOES IT AFFECT.

1. WHAT IS IT?: ATTITUDE OF MIND,AN ESPIRIT DE CORPS,A STATE OF WELL BEING,AN EMOTIONAL FORCE
2. WHAT IT DOES DO? AFFECT THE OUTPUT,QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT,COOPERATION ETC
3. WHERE DOES IT RESIDE? RESIDES IN THE MINDS AND THE EMOTIONS,REACTION
4. WHAT DOES IT AFFECT:-AFFECT THE EMPLOYEES,EXECUTIVE,CONSUMER AND COMMUNITY

• MORAL IS COMPOSITE ATTITUDE OF VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED BY THE ORGANIZATION.
• FACTORS

1. THE ORGANIZATION:-INFLUENCE THE WORKER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THEIR JOBS
2. THE NATURE OF THE WORK:
3. JOB SECURITY: SECURITY OF THE JOB KEEPS THE MORAL HIGH AND INSECURITY OF JOB LOWERS EMPLOYEE MORALE.
4. JOB SATISFACTION:-JOB SATISFACTION RELATES TO JOB RELATED ASPECTS LIKE PAY,PROMOTION,WORKING CONDITIONS,RELATION WITH COWORKERS ETC. THE MORE FAVORABLE THE JOB ASPECT,IT WILL LEAD TO HIGH MORAL AND VICE VERSA
5. ORGANIZATION CULTURE:-REFERS TO BELIEFS,VALUES,TRADITIONS ETC SHARED BY THE MAJORITY OF THE MEMBERS. MORE SHARING HIGH MORAL VICE VERSA
6. MANAGEMENT STYLES: ALSO INFLUENCE EMPLOYEE MORALE.MORE AUTOCRACY LOWER MORALE BUT THE CUSTODIAN OR PATERNALISTIC STYLE GIVES THE FEELING THE MGMT CARE ABOUT THEIR EMPLOYEE AND IT RAISES THE MORALE.
7. SELF CONCEPT OF THE EMPLOYEES: SELF CONCEPT MEANS ONE’S SELF RESPECT,SELF CONFIDENCE,SELF VALUE ETC. MORE THE EMPLOYEE AWARE OF THE SELF CONCEPT THE LEVEL OF HIGH MORALE
8. PERCEPTION OF WORK AND REWARD

SYMPTOMS OF LOW MORALE

a)    FEELING OF TARDINESS

b)    LACK OF POSITIVE FEELING

c)    HIGH RATE OF ABSENTEEISM

d)    DISTURBED MOOD

e)    STRIKES

f)     INCREASING WASTAGE

g)    POOR OR LACK OF GROUP COHESIVENESS

h)    INDISCIPLINE

• SYMPTOM OF HIGH MORALE

1. FEELING OF BELONGINGNESS
2. GROUP COHESIVENESS
3. TEAM SPIRIT
4. HIGH COMMITMENT TO GOALS
5. LONGER STAY WITH THE ORGANIZATION
6. LESS OR NO STRIKE
7. HIGH LEVEL OF PRIDE
8. BETTER INTERPERSONAL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

• CAUSES OF LOW MORALE

1. INADEQUATE OF WORK DIVISION
2. LESS SALARY TO THE COMPETENT PERSON DOING IMPORTANT JOB AS COMPARED TO LESS IMPORTANT JOB
3. ATTITUDE OF THE SUPERVISORS
4. NOT PHYSICALLY WELL
5. NO CHANCES OF PROMOTION
6. NOT FOLLOWING THE LINES OF AUTHORITY
7. NO FEELING OF BELONINGNESS OR SENSE OF ACHIEVEMENT

• FACTORS IMPROVING MORALE

1)    PROPER AND TWO WAY COMMUNICATION

2)    PROPER SYSTEM OF REMUNERATION

3)    MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES WITH YOUR  EXAMPLE

4)    JOB ENRICHMENT

5)    CHALLENGE EMPLOYEE TO PERFORM BETTER

6)    ACKNOWLEDGE AND  PRAISE THE EMPLOYEE ACHIEVEMENTS

7)    SHOW CARE ABOUT EMPLOYEE

8)    HUMAN RELATION APPROACH

9)    WELFARE APPROACH

10)  PARTICIPATION IN MGMT

11)  MORE TRAINING PROGRAMS

• MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY
• MORAL REFLECTS THE ATTITUDE OF EMPLOYEE TOWARDS THEIR WORK
• ON THE BASIS OF MANY RESEARCH IT CAN BE SAID THAT NO DIRECT RELATION BETWEEN MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY. HIGH MORALE MAY LEAD TO HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY BUT IN SOME CASES IT MAY NOT.
• GENERAL FEELING IS THAT THERE IS POSITIVE RELATION BETWEEN THE MORALE AND PRODUCTIVITY BUT THE DEGREE MAY NOT BE THE SAME
• MILLER AND FORM HAS GIVEN FOUR COMBINATION:-

1)    HIGH PRODUCTIVITY-HIGH MORALE

2)    LOW PRODUCTIVITY-HIGH MORALE

3)    HIGH PRODUCTIVITY-LOW MORALE

4)    LOW PRODUCTIVITY-LOW MORALE