Happy employees mean a happy workplace. A happy workplace has a direct correlation with high productivity. Keeping workers happy and productive is not only crucial to your business, but should be the highest point on your to-do list. Implementing employee incentives in your business to boost morale and motivation can be a good way to positively impact your employees’ happiness and productivity. Don’t worry if your to-do list is getting a bit full though, as you can easily hire a company to help you improve your employee happiness. You could hire someone like LifeWork if you wanted to (LifeWorks will provide more information here if you are interested in learning more). Today we are going to take you through some helpful steps that can improve workplace happiness.
1. R-E-S-P-E-C-T
You know the song, now listen to it. Every day if you must. Respect is the single most important trait you can have in the workplace. Treating your employees with an immense amount of respect is so important, that it’s not even an option. No matter what level of employee you’re dealing with, from executive to janitor, if they work for you, they deserve an equal level of respect. If you struggle with this one, you might as well shut your doors now. If it’s that difficult for you, try pretending that everyone who works for you is not an employee in the business, but a partner.
2. Be part of the team
Keeping yourself locked away from subordinates in your management level office is the easiest way to create tension in your work space. The vast majority of employees prefer their bosses to be visible and to feel like they are taking an interest in what everyone does. This isn’t a difficult task, chat with each of your employees on a daily basis. Walk around the office with the intent of answering questions or asking your employees if they need assistance. Always interact with your employees in an upbeat mood, even if you’re not, emotion is contagious.
3. Make good on your promises
Ask any number of people about an employer that they didn’t like and nine times out of ten, “trust” will come into the conversation. Trust is an easy thing to establish, all you must do is be truthful with your employees. As the boss, your words hold more weight than anyone else in the office, so if you say you’ll do something, do it, period. A boss that’s finicky with his/her actions is not easy to trust. Even if what you do does not directly affect any one employee, they will all view your broken promise as a trait of your character. Obviously some infractions can be worse than others, such as telling an employee that they will receive a raise and then never increasing their pay. However even minor instances can upset an office. For example, constantly changing the direction you want to take, or strategy you want to implement does not bode well with employees. You want each of your employees to get excited about a strategy of business, don’t let them down by constantly changing what that strategy is.
4. Move past the “suggestion box”
As a business owner, it will be impossible for you to give feedback to every single person you employ. However, be in no doubt that you set the tone. You should be giving feedback to all of your employees, and they should be constantly encouraged to do the same. They should never be afraid of giving respectful feedback and should be well aware that a business thrives on it. Keep this attitude in the forefront of their attention, let them know that you crave feedback and that they should too. Watch how quickly your business progresses when there is a constant officeplace dialogue of everything going on.
5. Failure is OK
Fear of failure can lead to a paralysed workforce that is afraid of taking risks. If you openly recognize failure as a normal part of business, it will open up your employees to trying new ideas and taking risks. Having this attitude also keeps not only you, but everyone in the office from pointing fingers whenever something goes wrong. A team is a team for a reason, everyone is there to support and help each other to reach a common goal. Failure is just as much a part of that process as success.
6. Improve the office setup
Pay attention to the physical office space. Have you equipped employees with quality desks, like those featured on the office monster website where you can find other furniture? Are your employees comfortable? Do they have the correct chairs, lighting, facilities? Lighting is particularly important as it can have a big impact on productivity, so make sure you get a commercial electrician to advise you on and fit an appropriate lighting scheme. These are basic needs and the better they are met the more productive your company will be. Encourage stretching, walking breaks, fresh air and even days where the whole office gets out for an activity. Take it a step further if you can afford it and add things like a Fuze-ball table or dart board. Take a note from companies like google, having fun things in your office keeps your employees around longer and prevents the 5pm sharp clock out.
7. Celebrate
Celebrating the achievements of your company and the individuals who work there is a no-brainer. People are happier when they get recognition for their achievements – and rightly so. You need to celebrate their successes as a reward, but also to encourage others to step up to the plate. All successful companies understand this simple fact.
