It’s Time To Focus On Your Employee’s Happiness!
A happy employee is always a productive employee. That’s exactly why employee happiness is considered as one of the vital points that determines a business’s success. In simple words, if you are a business that thinks only about making the client happy, it’s time you divert your attention to your employees first. A happy employee will work harder and offer better results, which in turn makes the client happy. So happiness should start from home, or rather from inside your office itself!
Also, given the fact that the price of hiring and training an employee is huge, it’s always better to retain your existing employee. So, how do you retain them? If an employee feels included, appreciated, motivated, and happy to start working every single day, then the turnover rates will definitely go down. Besides motivation programs, you need to focus on factors that are important to that employee on a personal level. Such factors will vary from person to person. Hence, attaining a deeper insight into such factors is crucial in keeping your employees motivated and happy. You can even use an employee monitoring software to keep an eye on their productivity levels and detect when a person starts getting demotivated and less productive. Timely action can always save a precious candidate!
10 Sure-fire Ways To Keep Your Employees Happy
Here are few proven ways to make your employees happy, content, motivated and productive- start implementing these now!
- Trust Them
It goes without saying that trust is the foundation for any relationship. And, the relationship between an employee and their senior management is no different. Where there is no trust, there is no relationship. So happiness is definitely out of the door! So, how do you build trust? Start by delegating without micromanagement. You need not poke your nose in everything. Leave them to do few things on their own and let them learn by experimenting and exploring. Once you instil trust, both you and your employee will learn new things. Include them in more projects and ask their opinion about issues you face as an organization. You can even ask for their creative input to come up with new ideas for the company.
- Acknowledge Their Efforts
Although constructive criticism is a great way to guide your employees and help them spot their weaknesses, you need to ensure that you acknowledge them too. Don’t take any one of your employees for granted. Point out the good things they did and acknowledge them verbally and individually. Show them that you are noticing the improvements they make and is appreciating it too.
- Engage Them With Team Building Activities
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”- This proverb holds true in today’s organizations too. Break the monotony and try to add some interesting elements by organizing team building activities that are not at all related to work. Plan social gatherings, games and fun events for the team to get together, have fun and build relationships.
- Offer, Don’t Assign
While delegating works, restrain from assigning tasks like a superior officer. Instead, offer them suggestions and encourage them to take up responsibilities on their own. Create a friendly competitive atmosphere that motivates employees to step up and use their full potential. You will also get a chance to discover what they are actually good at. While some might work more productively in a team activity, some may be good at leading the team. Spot their strong points and build them.
- Include Them
Create a feeling of belongingness in your employees’ minds by including them while discussing future plans for the company. Discuss your goals and targets with them and ask for their suggestions. This will make them feel more valued, and they will also start working with you to achieve the goals and monthly targets.
- Prioritize Work-Life Balance
A poor work life balance will always stress out your employees. Hence, always check for signs of whether an employee is unable to manage their personal life due to work overload. If yes, help them by reducing their workload or even suggest they take a day off and spend time with their family and friends. It’s true that work is important. But, maintaining a healthy and happy life is also equally important.
- Know Their Preference
As a business owner, you need to give priority to your employees’ preferences too. If there are areas where your business might need some help, ask their advice and hear what they have to say. Ask your employee whether they would like to learn a new skill or improve their current knowledge/skill sets. Check their preferences and help them grow. This will greatly help to motivate your employees to work harder and achieve better.
- Let Them Take Breaks
As much as it is important to work hard, it is equally important to take breaks and get a breather. Encourage your employees to take small breaks so that they can maybe sip a cup of coffee, chat a bit with their colleagues or even call home and check on their loved ones. This will help them to come back with a more focused, clear and refreshed mindset, thereby improving their productivity levels.
- Offer Perks
Motivate your team to work harder with increased enthusiasm by introducing creative employee perks. Set up individual and team goals and give away small perks like movie tickets, free meals or permission to wear casuals on all Fridays. Such small perks won’t burn a hole in your pocket but will help in motivating the employees and make them love their work even more.
- Celebrate Their Milestones
Celebrate every little reason to be happy. And, ensure that you celebrate your employee’s personal milestones too. Did an employee who was hesitant to take up a project because they doubted their own skills finally take that big step and did it? Celebrate the moment! Is it an employee’s birthday or anniversary? Celebrate it! Little moments of happiness adds a smile to your employee’s face, and that is all that matters at the end of the day.
Motivate Your Employees To Make Them Happier
As an employer, keeping your employees motivated must be one of your primary concerns. Wondering how to do it? We’ve got 3 tips and tricks for you!
Be Approachable
To keep your employees motivated, you need to take the first step. Ensure that the top management is always approachable to the employees. They should feel free to come to you to talk and discuss their ideas, concerns, fears and goals. Constant interactions will help you understand employee expectations and grievances better.
Build Workspace Aesthetics
Your workspace has a crucial role to play in keeping the employees motivated. A closed, cramped and dark workspace will only help in demotivating your employees. That’s exactly why you should work on your workspace aesthetics. Let the workspace interiors be spacious, colourful, with natural lighting and classy furniture. It will immediately uplift an employee’s mood and keep them motivated throughout the day.
Encourage Honesty & Respect
Employees will love to work in a workplace where the top management respects them and are honest in their dealings. Ensure transparency and encourage communication in your workplace. Give respect to each and every person working in your organization and give them honest feedback whenever necessary. A leader of good values will always motivate their employees.
Make happiness a priority at your workplace, and watch the productivity levels shoot up! After all, the power of a smile is always priceless!