Employees need to be kept happy at work to boost their productivity
Business owners have a lot to think about, and there is always some new idea or challenge coming their way that has to be dealt with. Yet if they don’t take care of their employees and ensure they are happy at work, studies show that productivity falls, employees start getting restless, and the entire working environment can quickly become toxic.
With so many people finding that a bad workplace can result in stress, anxiety, and depression, or at least negatively knock their mental health temporarily, bosses must understand what it takes to keep their team happy. If you’re an employer looking for ways to boost productivity and morale, read on.
Recognize their progress
No one likes their work to be dismissed out of hand. Most of the time, even if we don’t want to admit it, we are working to be praised and be told we’re doing a good job. A good leader will know this and will search out opportunities to make it happen. Recognizing your employees’ accomplishments and progress is all part of what it takes to be a boss, and it will improve productivity hugely.
Whether it’s a project finished ahead of schedule or on budget, an idea brought up in a meeting that goes on to be incredibly useful, or perhaps a happy customer who contacts the company to praise one employee in particular, all of these things – and more – should be acknowledged. You might even choose to offer rewards such as extra vacation days or a pay rise, depending on the impact the good work has.
The office environment
Another way to encourage your employees to be more productive and keep them happy is to give them a comfortable workspace. When you are planning your office space, make sure there is enough space for everyone to work without feeling as though they are cramped and on top of one another. You should also try to incorporate as much natural light as you can, and maybe even include indoor plants to make the office a more pleasant place to be.
Adding a lovely break room complete with the facilities to make hot drinks, a fridge to keep things cool, and a microwave at the very least (and comfortable chairs to rest on, of course) is something else you’ll need to try to add to your design. Breaks are a massive part of keeping employees happy, but if there is nowhere for them to go and they have to stay at their desks, those breaks aren’t going to be doing anyone any good.
Trust them
Perhaps the best way to keep your employees happy is to show them you trust them. As an employee, particularly one who is used to doing everything yourself, this can be hard. Yet delegating tasks to people you know can carry them out, and then allowing them to get on with the work and not micromanaging them will help everyone. Not only will the employee know you trust them and will therefore do more for you, but you won’t be so busy or overwhelmed either.