High employee morale is a critical component of any successful company. When tensions are high and employees are under great amounts of stress, productivity is undoubtedly hindered. Though an employer cannot possibly take care of every concern in the office, good communication and a sense of teamwork between management and staff can go a long way to promote a positive work environment! 

Here are 4 questions that employers can ask employees to better understand their workforce, mitigate stressors, and promote open communication company wide:

1. What is going well in your role?

If supervisors only talk with their employees when issues arise, conversations and relationships with management will largely be viewed as negative. Encourage upbeat conversations in the office by allowing employees an opportunity to talk about what they enjoy most in their job.

2. What challenges are you currently facing?

Rather than waiting until a problem reaches the management level, find out about potential future problems before they spiral out of control. Asking about challenges will allow management an opportunity to intervene early and potentially save time, money, and stress for everyone later. 

3. How could you be better supported in your role?

Encourage a spirit of teamwork by asking if employees need any additional support. The answer may be no, or could be very minor, but when employees feel like management is on their side, we often see an increase in employee morale and a reduction in stress. 

4. How do you like to receive feedback?

This is a helpful question for managers to ask of anyone who reports to them. If management has a better understanding of your employees’ communication styles, you can give feedback, both positive and negative, in the least stressful and most effective way possible.