While some organizations are happy to treat their employees as disposable and easily replaceable, there are plenty more which want to do everything that they can to look after their staff. Not only is this one of the cornerstones of being an ethical employer, but it also has a host of business benefits which are worth looking at in more detail. First of all, happy employees tend to be more productive and there is also reduced instances of employee absenteeism. Not only this, but there have also been studies conducted which point towards satisfied employees being more creative and better team players. There is a lot of debate at the moment which centres on how to keep employees happy, but let’s take a closer look at just some of the ways of doing this.
Recognise Employees’ Performance
One of the most disheartening things for employees of organizations is the feeling that they don’t matter and any improvements are overlooked. Very quickly, they can get into a mindset of not being valued and it not mattering whether or not they are doing their job well. To combat this, you should make a point of recognising employees who are performing well and celebrate when they make strides in their job. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to give them a raise every single time they do something well (but it is never going to hurt their job satisfaction!) The simple act of saying ‘thank you’ from time to time can really go a long way.
Make Them Feel Like Part of the Team
In any business or organization, people all need to pull in the same direction and feel like they are part of the team. So, you should make a point of integrating all new members of staff as quickly as possible with a comprehensive training program. You could also organize team building exercises and other social events which bring your staff members together. When there are issues between departments, these should be addressed and dealt with at the earliest possible opportunity. And one of the best ways of making your employees feel like part of the team is by taking an active interest in who they are and what their lives are like outside of work. Demonstrating that you know things about them can really help to make them feel valued.
Look to Improve Employee Benefits
Employee benefits come in a wide variety of different shapes and sizes, but they can all make a difference when it comes to retaining your staff members are keeping them happy. Of course, there are some employee benefits which come with natural cost implications like offering an increased number of holiday days. But there are also benefits which are relatively affordable such as offering fresh fruit snacks on a regular basis. And then there are the benefits which require a shift in culture such as offering flexible hours and remote working opportunities. Check out vitaassure.com for some more ideas and inspiration. It is always worth sitting down to assess whether or not you can offer your employees something better than they are currently getting.
Make the Workplace More Enjoyable
Everyone wants to feel like they are working in a fun and interesting environment. And this doesn’t necessarily have to be the barrier to productivity that some people would think. Of course, there is certainly a balance to be struck. You don’t want people messing and joking around all day long to the point that it interferes with their work, but you can cut them some slack from time to time when it comes to giving them the chance to chat about non-work related topics. You could also offer events during lunch hours such as talks, fitness classes etc.
Encourage a Work-Life Balance
Some organizations are focused on keeping their employees always switched on and never feeling like they can relax and unwind. This is a surefire way to increase the chances of them burning out, leading to time taken off from work or even to them quitting altogether. Instead, you should be looking to encourage a work-life balance as much as possible. Allow time for them to disengage when they need to. For example, you could make it a policy for them not to need to keep their work phones on at all hours of the day. You could also encourage health outside the office by allowing for opportunities to focus on their family and other personal priorities. We have already talked about fresh fruit in the office, but fostering a culture of healthy living in your workplace can really go a long way towards improving your employees’ overall happiness levels.
Find Out Their Ambitions
Satisfied employees tend to be the ones who are engaged and challenged in their job roles. There is certainly a balancing act to be achieved between making sure that they are challenged without piling too much pressure on them. The best way of doing this is through solid and sustained communication. Find out what your employees would like to achieve in the future and the ways in which you can help them get there. It could be by passing them over more responsibilities or offering them the chance of a promotion in the future. You could help them to rejig their schedules so that they are doing more of the things that they enjoy and less of the things that they don’t.
Keeping your employees happy is a challenge which is worth taking on. As we have already mentioned, there are all sorts of benefits involved in managing a satisfied workforce. Hopefully, this article has started getting your creative juices flowing and has given you some food for thought in achieving your aims.