We keep hearing in this recessionary economy that employees are taking it on the chin in many, many ways—losing their jobs, receiving no salary increases, perks like the 401(k) match taken away, and as wages stagnate, consistently being asked to do more with less for less. The italicized phrase comes from Mike Ryan, senior vice president of marketing and client strategy for Madison Performance Group. Here’s some of his advice.

Morale matters. Madison Performance Group is a leading developer of employee engagement and incentive marketing programs, featuring automation, for Fortune 1000 companies. But we think his strategies apply in organizations of all sizes.

“Most employees feel overworked and underappreciated,” says Ryan, warning employers that while workers may be too fearful of the poor job market to leave now, they will absolutely leave when conditions improve. Furthermore, he believes, employees who are emotionally and intellectually committed to what they do and who they do it for are more productive than those who are not.

Here are the five steps he recommends that all employers take, regardless of their size or the amount of automation in their performance management process:

1. Repair your culture. A positive corporate culture aligns strategy with behavioral expectations. That is, employees know how they should do what they do in order to bolster the organization’s success, and they have clarity and purpose in their work. Employees should always perceive a corporate framework for their contributions. Check especially for a lack of trust and try to root it out.
2. Foster continuous innovation. No one at the top has all the answers, and every business needs new processes, and new ideas. Many businesses also need new products and new markets. Smart companies understand that innovations happen when complex thinking is applied to problems or opportunities by employees are committed to new and more effective outcomes. Employees must believe that management is open to new ideas and will general support taking prudent risks.
   How to get those principles across? Use your recognition programs to solicit, acknowledge, and communicate new ideas. Programs can ease the fear of failure that stifles innovation. Boost employee collaboration at team meetings and brainstorming sessions.
3. Ensure frontline managers are on board. They need to know their subordinates well, understanding not only their personal and professional goals but also their best skills and talents. Again, the recognition programs are the vehicle to convey the encouragement employees need. If your managers don’t seem committed enough to the development of their subordinates, advises Ryan, look at the C-suite to see whether top management is as involved as it should be in shaping talent management strategies.
4. Focus particularly on remote workers. Rapid development of digital technologies has allowed many more people to work away from their companies’ facilities; indeed, they may be spread around the globe. But overuse of such digital tools as e-mail, texting, and instant messaging can lead to misunderstandings, taking messages out of context, and even alienation. The reason is that facial expressions and vocal inflections are missing.
   Strive to hold frequent conference calls, throwing in an occasional video conference. If at all possible, offer a face-to-face conference at least every 2 or 3 years. Also, consider bolstering internal communication with social media, especially to increase community connections and expand the impact of recognition. Social media can help bring employees with common interests together to share successes and learn from one another.
5. HR: Think and act more like marketers. Human resources people are, or should be, more committed to employee engagement and development than anyone else in the organization. But marketing teams have taken more quickly to using digital media to deliver more efficient and effective messages. Through such media, they build personalized relationships with the brand. HR needs to follow suit, striving to build personalized relationships between employees and the company and brand. One good way for HR to use social media is to communicate about benefits through a frequently updated blog that answers questions and explains plan features.