Employee morale is in large part based upon a couple of things: 1.) a paycheck. People work to earn money — reduced to its base, it’s a simple transaction. And 2.) Because they like and/or believe in the work being done. They feel fulfilled by the work they do, by the team they work with, and feel valued by the company/organization and challenged by their projects.

The key to number 2 above is the check-in. When a leader provides feedback in real-time and discusses with the employee the reasons for various goals/targets/directives, the employee forms a rounder, context-rich understanding. His/her role in advancing the project becomes clearer, and motivation deepens.