Today’s employees expect the best, and they want to feel happy and productive at work. As an employer, you know this, but it’s easier said than done.
Feeling unappreciated, unheard, and unseen as an employee leads to frustration, unhappiness, and conflict in the workplace. As an employer, you want to do everything you can to boost employee happiness and productivity.
Here are some ways to ensure your employees are happy and productive at work.
Show Your Concern
Do you know your employees? Do you take an interest in their well-being in and out of the workplace?
Your employees know the answer to these questions. They know if you’re invested in them and if they have a supportive boss.
When employees feel valued and respected, they perform better. Make an effort to get to know your employees. Ask them how they’re feeling and if there is something they need.
Take an interest in their role in the company, their families, and future aspirations.
Employee morale starts with you. Making a small effort to show concern goes a long way toward happier, more productive employees.
Listen and Communicate
A lack of communication in the workplace leads to conflict. Taking the time to listen and communicate with your employees can prevent misunderstandings.
When you identify a problem or conflict, address the situation right away. This can often prevent the problem from escalating and affecting employee morale and productivity.
Make sure your employees know you value their input and want to hear their ideas and suggestions. You don’t have to implement every suggestion or idea, but you do need to listen.
Knowing you are approachable and ready to listen is a critical component for establishing employee loyalty and improving employee happiness.
Prioritize a Work-Life Balance
An employee’s life away from work has a huge impact on their performance at work. Work-life balance is about managing life in and out of the workplace.
When an employer makes it a priority, employees have more flexibility and balance between their personal and professional responsibilities. Making sure your employees have a great work-life balance helps you build a healthy work environment and reduce employee stress.
Employees who are under chronic stress at work often neglect their life away from work and end up burning out. This can lead to physical consequences, time away from work, and mental health issues.
Burnout is a serious problem for employers, but it can be avoided. Taking measures to support your employees’ work-life balance will only benefit your company and your valuable employees. Some tips include:
- Offer flexible work schedules
- Measure progress by productivity rather than hours at work
- Encourage regular breaks and vacation time
- Regularly review employee workload and their management of workload
- Give employees time to handle personal matters
- Encourage employees to volunteer and give back to the community
- Increase support options for parents
- Encourage healthy living practices
Making your company a positive place to work will help your employees better balance their lives. They will be happier, healthier, and more productive in return.
Allow Flexible Work Schedules
A flexible work schedule is more than just a buzzword. It’s the future of modern business.
Flexibility at work leads to more freedom and balance for employees. Flexible work is a plus for some employees, including parents with young children, part-time workers, or older employees.
Flexible work schedules offer employees a level of comfort and help them manage their workload and families. Employees feel more empowered and less stressed when they have work-related options.
Offer Advancement Opportunities
An employee with no hope for future advancement doesn’t have much incentive to be productive. Employees need career mobility to feel motivated in their current position.
They need to know you see them, appreciate their work, and value their contribution to the company. One way to promote employee morale is through advancement and opportunity.
Career mobility encourages employees to become invested in the company and continue learning. Employees need to know if there are real options for advancement and how to attain these opportunities.
Career growth and advancement are a must for keeping your employees happy, motivated, and productive at work.
Reward Achievement
Saying “thank you” goes a long way. As an employer, you don’t always have to make a grand gesture to show employees you see and appreciate them.
Make a point to recognize the various accomplishments of your employees. If they are successful in their large or small role within the company, acknowledge them.
All employees want to be recognized for their hard work. Taking a few moments to appreciate and praise good work will boost employee morale and reflect favorably on you.
What can you do to recognize employee accomplishment?
- Take time at meetings to “shout out” employees or teams for their work
- Recognize employees at every level for their achievement
- Hand out prizes or rewards at company celebrations
- Implement a peer recognition program
- Recognize employees in company newsletters or emails
- Send notes or text messages of encouragement and praise
Encourage and build up your employees regularly. These small efforts will build morale and fuel productivity.
Encourage Breaks
You want your employees to work hard and contribute to the company’s success. But be careful not to overwork or overlook them.
Working overtime or working over the weekend is okay from time to time. But constant work without time off is a recipe for disaster. Instead of cracking the whip, encourage your employees to take breaks when they need them.
Breaking up the workday and practicing pacing throughout the day can reduce job-related stress and exhaustion. Taking mental breaks during the day can help clear the mind and make for happier, healthier employees.
Take Steps to Improve Employee Happiness
Improving employee productivity starts at the top, and your employees depend on you to set the tone of the workplace. Creating a supportive environment where employees feel valued and respected is critical for employee happiness.
Giving your employees a voice, rewarding their hard work, and prioritizing a work-life balance shows you care about your employees and value their role in your business.
There are so many things you can do to promote employee happiness. If you’re looking for ways to grow your business and boost employee morale, we can help.
Discover the many ways you can transform your business and the lives of your employees. Contact us today to learn more.
