Are you wondering if a happier employee equals a more productive employee?
Studies have shown that a happier workplace leads to more productive employees and a better bottom line. These findings are contrary to the belief that a cutthroat environment will give people incentives to do well.
You might be wondering what you can try to help your staff work happier. This post will give you some conventional approaches that can make a difference.
Keep reading to learn how you can make changes in your business that lead to a happier and more productive workplace.
1. Take Time to Celebrate and Reward Achievements
People like to feel valued. If you aren’t showing your staff appreciation for their hard work, then you are missing out and may end up with a disgruntled workplace.
By rewarding good work, you are incentivizing your employees to keep producing to get more benefits. These benefits can be in the form of bonuses, gift cards, or special company perks.
2. Let Your Employees Pursue Passions
You probably have a standard for doing things in the office. But your way isn’t the only way.
Encourage your staff to come up with unique ideas and projects. By giving them something they can work on and own, you’re giving them a reason to do well and make contributions to improve the company.
By doing this, you are also allowing your employees to expand their skill sets and possibly find a role they enjoy. When they see themselves moving to a better position that they love, you are going to have a happy workplace.
3. Allow Time off for Volunteering
Another good way to build camaraderie is to do team volunteer work. Volunteering has shown to improve morale and teamwork.
You can start by coming up with causes that can tie into your company’s work. This cause won’t only benefit company morale, but it will also improve your standing in your industry.
Of course, you can also allow your team to work on the causes they support. Sometimes people don’t have enough time to do this on their own. When you provide them this time, they are sure to appreciate your workplace.
4. Schedule Team Building Activities
Great work hardly ever happens in a vacuum. Great teams are what makes a great product or service.
A passing hello in the office isn’t enough for your team to get to know each other.
Teambuilding activities should be scheduled regularly to help your staff get to know each other and become comfortable working together.
When your team knows each other and can get along, you are going to have a better functioning team. Make sure you give your staff the time to get to know each other.
5. Keep Training Your Employees
People don’t like being stagnant. If you challenge them and help them grow, then you have a happier and more productive employee.
By working with your staff and learning their career goals, you can invest in proper training for them to help them grow and advance in the future. When you show that you care about them, then they are more likely to return the favor and produce great work for you.
6. Add Some Fun to the Office
There is a large number of people who don’t enjoy their job very much. It’s hard to find the motivation to give your best when you don’t like what you do.
Even if you have people that aren’t working their dream jobs, you can make the office a more enjoyable place for them to boost their moods.
Try throwing special events, add a place for people to talk, or even add a few games. These changes could also work to bring your staff together and work better together.
7. Offer Flexibility with Schedules
Life happens sometimes, and you can’t always control it.
Don’t be so strict with your schedules. Allow your employees to take care of their lives. By enabling flexible scheduling, you are giving people the chance to not miss out on opportunities in life they would otherwise miss by being at work.
A lot of companies now offer flexibility and workers are starting to want it more. It can be a good selling point for your workplace.
8. Incentivize Employee Wellness
People work better when they feel great. When you gamify health and reward it, your employees have more of a reason to stay healthy.
Set up rewards for exercise, diets, and other health goals that will get your employees moving and adopting a healthier lifestyle. We know that health directly impacts productivity, so any investment here is well worth the cost.
9. Practice What You Preach
Do you expect someone you are trying to influence to follow your advice if you don’t do the same thing?
Whenever you set out guidelines, an operating procedure, or rules for your employees, make sure you follow them yourself. If someone sees you skirting the rules, then they may think they can get away with it too.
You should be a role model for your company. Make sure you act like one.
10. Cut down on Meeting Time
Nobody likes meetings, so try not to waste your employee’s time in them.
If you need to have a meeting, make sure you keep it on point and don’t go longer than you need to.
By keeping your meetings on point, you give your employees the information they need to know and let them go back to being productive.
11. Implement an Employee Assistance Program
People don’t always seek help out if it isn’t right in front of them.
Having somewhere to go that is easy to access can make a difference. You can use this to provide access to counseling, health programs, savings programs, and a host of other features.
You can learn more here about all the ways an employee assistance program can help.
Make Changes Now so You Can Work Happier
When employees work happier, you see benefits across the board. They trust you more, have more loyalty, and get more done. Start taking steps today to implement changes that will help your employees thrive.
Are you looking for more ways to improve employee productivity? Check out our post on enhancing productivity in the workplace.
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