3 easy ways to ruin morale and obliterate employee engagement

The last time you resigned from a job, what was it that broke you?

Lousy pay, grating bosses, grinding commutes and draconian HR edicts drive more than their fair share of employees toward the exits. However, resignations are often more of a “death by a thousand [mandatory, team-based activity] cuts” phenomenon.

Communicators, beware these three subtle yet morale-draining workplace vexations that could be causing unforeseen resignations:

1. Forced or compulsory “collaborative” activities

Most major world religions offer some sort of scripture about the notion of “compulsory behavior.” The Quran says there is “no compulsion in religion.” The Bible states: “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Meanwhile our divine corporate overlords, at some point, issued a holy writ that declareth: “Thou shalt force thine employees to dine together, collaborate with one another and be compelled to engage in nonsensical team-building activities forthwith. For it is the will of thy executive, who once read a John Maxwell book on leadership 15 years ago. Amen.”