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I call it the “3M” formula, and it’s where everything in excellent customer service delivery starts: motivation, morale and mood. Service Fatigue is real, and it’s causing many companies to re-evaluate what work should look like, both internally and those aspects that are customer-facing. We all know how our work/life balance has fallen apart the last couple of years, and we’ll talk more about that in the segment on boundaries.

Today, we’ll focus on boosting your 3M levels, because according to a recent study by Namely, 45 % of respondents report that boosting employee morale is their top company priority at the moment. Achieving optimum 3M levels takes more than just recognizing it needs work; it requires a focused action plan. The plan I know works best follows a guide you might already be familiar with: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Because it only makes sense that achieving a higher level of work morale requires addressing our personal needs first. In other words, it’s hard to be motivated if you don’t feel motivated.

Health and Wellness

Whether you’re a solopreneur or you manage a team of thousands, prioritize building a toolbox of resources that look out for your mental and physical health. Create a “fringe benefits package” for yourself that includes the meditation apps, gym memberships, nutrition coaching or any other self-development tools that appeal to you. I’ve made some of my own changes recently and my 93-year-old father-in-law has been a huge inspiration. I’ll talk more about that in this segment’s virtual conversation, and I’ll also share some rapid-fire ideas for boosting health and wellness morale in the workplace.

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Safety and Security

People feel secure when they know where the car is headed. By that I mean, they aren’t just along for the ride, clueless about the road ahead. They want to know the destination and the route and, in the case of most dedicated teams and colleagues, they want to help navigate. To help your team meet the need to feel secure and safe in their roles, deliver consistent, clear communication. Some positions will always be “need to know,” but even those roles deserve an appropriate level of insight into how their hard work contributes to overall success. You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes in an employee’s motivation when they feel invested, safe and secure in their position on the team.

Belonging and Connectedness

Humans crave physical and emotional closeness to others (well, maybe not introverts, but still!). The frequency and quality of our connections has a direct impact on morale; positive interactions feed our needs, while negative ones can tank anyone’s spirit in a moment. I travel for a living, and I’ve made it a habit to people watch wherever I go. On a regular basis, I witness the ripple effects of an angry customer who yells at a gate agent or, on the flip side, the way a single positive comment can change someone’s entire day. When we’re isolated from our colleagues, customers and even loved ones, it’s hard to feel connected, which makes it even harder to summon the motivation it takes to be fully present on the job. I’ve got ways to stay connected even when we’re apart, and I’m sharing them during this segment’s virtual conversation.

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By the time we meet the needs of the first three levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy, the ability to build confidence and boost our self-esteem will come easier. Collectively we will “feel better” about work and maybe even the world around us, and that elevated mood, motivation and morale will translate into every interaction with colleagues and customers. We’ll talk about the final two levels of the Hierarchy (Self Esteem and Transformation) and more in this segment’s virtual event, so don’t miss my deep dive into the ways you can fundamentally improve your team’s 3M levels, the first step to busting out of service fatigue once and for all.

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