Morale problems sometimes are caused at the leadership level of
a business. With the high turnover rate of top executives these days
comes increased anxiety and lower morale. And the leaders who
are not leaving are under increased pressure to deliver improving
results in difficult times. “Morale is slipping because the organization’s leadership is once again slashing costs to improve margins,”
says a manager at a medium-sized company. “Unfortunately, this
leadership is lacking both the vision and the intelligence to grow
the business. So it’s cut, cut, cut. They reduce the benefits and
salaries of the folks who work ten- to twelve-hour days and truly
care about their jobs and the corporation, while their benefits and
pay keep rising at obnoxious levels.”
Additional anxiety is created by an increasing lack of loyalty,
with the feeling that if business hits a downturn, no one in the
company is safe. As a result, many are working harder to sock away
whatever they can. Says a manager at a large company, “With focus