How to boost your team's morale when you're not the boss

Just like low spirits can be contagious, praise and recognition not only increase team morale, but has numerous benefits for you as well, like stress reduction and even better health. So if you're hearing more sighs and seeing more dejected expressions than usual, show some love with these simple tactics:

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

Try to find out your team members' favourites, e.g. favourite chocolate, favourite magazine, favourite sports team. Keep this info and use it when they could us a pick-me-up. If someone's had a particularly stressful week, gift him a bag of his favourite candy on Thursday. Random of acts of kindness mean all the more if you've put though into remembering the things your co-workers will truly appreciate. 

BEGIN A TRADITION

Ask anyone at an organisation with a tradition-filled culture and they'll tell you that these rituals improve bonding and raise team morale. Now while it's usually management that initiates proper organisational traditions, you can always make a suggestion or initiate a mini-tradition. This could be anything from a monthly lunch meeting outside the office to stating how a specific colleague helped you out the past week at the beginning of the weekly meeting.  

THROW IN A GOOD WORD

If your team is anything like mine, we're constantly making fun of each other and innocently putting down one another in front of the boss. And recognition comes just as easily. If you're not used to such a culture, start putting in a good word for a teammate with the person who determines his salary or promotion or assignments. When praise comes from someone else, it strengthens his claims about his accomplishments and shows that his hard work has been helpful to the organisation.

For example, a Facebook post acknowledging your co-worker, someone from another department you collaborated with, or even your boss will improve your relationships and might even be the highlight of someone's long and difficult week. Don't shy away from thanking and commending the people and the teams that have made a project a success.

OFFER YOUR HELP OR ASK FOR THEIRS

If you see your colleague swamped with paperwork even at 8 in the night, offer to help. After all, it's not every day that you have to stay back late. Helping out even when you don't need to only reinforce how dependable you are as a member of the organisation. You'll also feel less guilty for asking for theirs, whether that's asking for feedback or constructive criticism on an big project you're doing or sharing a bit of your workload with them when you're in a real pinch.

Remember that asking for someone's help is not at all a sign of your own weakness; rather it can potentially make another person feel valued and demonstrates that you respect him and his views. It might also be a great way to pick up on a skill. Need help with that PowerPoint? Maybe there's a flat design superhero waiting to be discovered.

Expensive pizza parties are not the only solution to a dreary day at the office. Try out these four tactics to show appreciation and just have a good time in general. Not only will you be cheering up a co-worker, in time you may find yourself looking forward to heading into the office at 8 every day. After all, boosting morale will create a more satisfying and productive work environment for everybody.