MORALE AND DISCIPLINE

“Morale” a French word means “condition with respect to discipline and confidence
pride, fixing of purpose, faith in the course fought for”.
It has been defined in many ways but all definitions revolve around the attitude
towards work for the accomplishment of organizational goals. Thus morale is
intimately connected with organization. If the morale of employees/ workers is
high, not only the production/ output is increased and maintained but the workers
feel satisfied and contented.
In this way the management shall find it easy to motivate the workers and make them
feel as part and parcel of the organization. Morale also generates confidence in
workers and keep their spirit very high and competitive.
William Spriegal has defined morale as the co-operative attitude or mental health
of a number of people who are related to each other on some basis. According to
Alexandar H. Leighton morale is the capacity of a group of people to pull together
persistently in pursuit of a common purpose.
In nut shell morale is the degree of enthusiasm and willingness with which the
members of a group work to perform their assignments. Thus morale is an indicator
of attitudes of workers towards their jobs, superiors and environment.
It is the sum total of employees attitudes, feelings and sentiments towards these
variables. Morale is a bye-product of motivation and group relationships in the
organization. It is a mental process which once started permeates in the entire
group creating a mood which results in the formation of common attitude.
Meaning of Discipline:
The genesis of the word “Discipline” is supposed from the Latin word “Disciplina”
which means management, rule, education, practice, teaching and trained condition.
The derivation of English word “Discipline” is supposed from the Latin word
“Discipulum” which means pupil. This is expected from the pupils that he should
obey his teachers respectfully and according to him, he should develop necessary
and required qualities in himself for successful life.
In this way, the meaning of discipline is to create regularity in conduct. Lot of
words is used in Hindi for discipline, for example, control, regulation, self-
restraint, courtesy etc. The use of the word “Control” would be appropriate at the
place where some-one is to be kept forcibly in possession, where according to some
fixed rules, the man is asked to do work and, there “regulation” would be used.
Where the child obeys his elders with courtesy and respect, there the word
“courtesy” would be proper to use. But, “discipline” is the word which covers all
those aspects mentioned above. The use of this word “Discipline” is more sound.