30 ways to make your employees happy

30 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR EMPLOYEES HAPPY YOUR ENVIRONMENT THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT CAN HAVE A PROFOUND EFFECT ON EMPLOYEE MORALE. DULL 1 AND DREARY OFFICES CAN RESULT IN DEMOTIVATION, SO TRY TO KEEP OFFICE SPACES LIGHT AND BRIGHT. IF IT'S POSSIBLE, OFFER YOUR EMPLOYEES A BREAK ROOM IN WHICH THEY CAN RELAX AND SPEND THEIR LUNCH BREAKS. GETTING AWAY FROM YOUR DESK CAN HELP YOU 2 REFOCUS AND COME BACK RE-ENGAGED. AIM TO CREATE A PRODUCTIVE, YET ENJOYABLE ATMOSPHERE. YOUR 3 EMPLOYEES SPEND MORE WAKING TIME EACH DAY IN THE OFFICE THAN THEY DO AT HOME SO MAKE SURE IT'S A PLACE THEY ENJOY COMING TO. ALLOWING INDIVIDUALS TO BRING THEIR PETS TO WORK CREATES AN ADDED SENSE OF COMPANIONSHIP. PETS CAN HAVE CALMING EFFECTS ON THEIR OWNERS, WHICH CAN BE BENEFICIAL TO AN OFFICE ENVIRONMENT. MAKE SURE YOUR EMPLOYEES HAVE EVERYTHING THEY NEED TO EXCEL. IF THEY HAVE ALL THE TOOLS THEY REQUIRE TO ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS, IT'LL GO A LONG WAY IN KEEPING THEM ENGAGED AND MOTIVATED. GOALS + REWARDS WHETHER IT'S A BIRTHDAY, A WORK ANNIVERSARY OR AN ENGAGEMENT, CELEBRATE THE THINGS THAT MEAN SOMETHING TO YOUR EMPLOYEES. USE NEWSLETTERS TO HIGHLIGHT EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE PERFORMED WELL IN THAT PARTICULAR MONTH. ALLOW THEIR SUCCESSES TO BE CELEBRATED BY THE ENTIRE 7 COMPANY. 8. KEEP STAFF ENGAGED BY COMING TOGETHER TO SET INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS COMPANY-WIDE GOALS. WORKING TOWARDS THE GOALS WILL KEEP THEM MOTIVATED AND BE BENEFICIAL TO EVERYONE INVOLVED. INCENTIVES, SUCH AS BONUSES AND DRESS DOWN FRIDAYS, CAN HELP MOTIVATE EMPLOYEES AND SHOW THAT THEIR WORK IS APPRECIATED; WHILE OFFERING EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, LIKE HEALTH INSURANCE, HELPS TO SHOW YOUR EMPLOYEES THAT YOU CARE ABOUT THEIR WELLBEING. LIGHTENING THE MOOD 10 OFFICE THEME DAYS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN, INCREASE HAPPINESS AND BOOST MORALE. A SIMPLE THEME, SUCH AS 'HAT DAY' CAN BREAK UP THE MONOTONY OF WORK AND HELP EMPLOYEES TO FEEL PART OF A TEAM. AWAY DAYS ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO LEAVE THEIR DESK AND TAKE SOME TIME TO ENJOY THEMSELVES, BOND WITH COLLEAGUES AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AFTER ALL, A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A REST! 11 12 LET YOUR EMPLOYEES INDIVIDUALITY AND PERSONALITY SHINE THROUGH AND ALLOW THEM TO WEAR WHAT THEY WANT (WITHIN REASON). YOU CAN STILL PROVIDE SOME GUIDELINES, BUT TRY NOT TO BE TOO STRICT. IT'S EASY TO GET STUCK IN A RUT, SO TRY TO SWITCH THINGS UP TO AVOID THAT KAPPENING. EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, ALLOW EMPLOYEES TO LEAVE EARLY ON A FRIDAY OR START LATER ON A MONDAY - IT'S A SMALL GESTURE BUT CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. 13 14 CHAMPION PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; IF POSSIBLE, ARRANGE FOR DISCOUNTED GYM MEMBERSHIP OR ENCOURAGE WALKING MEETINGS AROUND THE LOCAL PARK. GETTING MOVING HELPS RELEASE ENDORPHINS, MAKING INDIVIDUALS HAPPIER AND MORE MOTIVATED. SURPRISES MAKE OUR BRAINS AUTOMATICALLY PAY CLOSER ATTENTION, AND LENDS THESE EVENTS GREATER EMOTIONAL WEIGHT. THEREFORE FREQUENT POSITIVE SURPRISES, LIKE TEAM LUNCHES, HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO OVERRIDE OCCASIONAL UNAVOIDABLE 15 BAD NEWS. MANAGEMENT TIPS 16 ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO TAKE THE HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE GIVEN TO THEM. THERE'S NOTHING MORE REFRESHING THAN A FEW DAYS AWAY! CREATING CHALLENGES OR COMPETITIONS CAN INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND CAMARADERIE, AND ENCOURAGE STAFF TO BECOME MORE ENGAGED IN A PROJECT. 17 SHOW YOUR STAFF THE VALUE IN THEIR WORK. EVERYONE WANTS TO FEEL THAT 18 THEIR WORK HAS A HIGHER PURPOSE, SO POINT IT OUT TO THEM EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE. DEAL WITH ISSUES IN MORALE, OR PROBLEM EMPLOYEES BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. WHATEVER THE PROBLEM, SOLVE IT QUICKLY AND HANDLE SITUATIONS PROFESSIONALLY. EVEN 19 THE SMALLEST CHANGE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES. 20 As AN EMPLOYER, YOU SHOULD ENSURE ALL YOUR MANAGEMENT HAVE HAD APPROPRIATE TRAINING. PAY ATTENTION TO LINE MANAGERS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR TEAM AS THIS CAN IMPACT HEAVILY ON PERFORMANCE AND HAPPINESS. THE TEAM 21 TRAINING EMPLOYEES IN POSITIVE THINKING CAN BE BENEFICIAL BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE. POSITIVE THINKING REDUCES STRESS AND CREATES A CLEARER, HAPPIER OUTLOOK. TEAM WORK AND SYNERGY IS IMPORTANT BUT CAN BE TRICKY TO NURTURE AT TIMES; 22 ALLOW YOUR EMPLOYEES TO CREATE MUTUAL OBJECTIVES AND VALUES TO BUILD UP GOOD RELATIONSHIPS AND DEVELOP A POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT. MOST OF US DESIRE A DEGREE OF FREEDOM AND CONSTANTLY BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO 23 CAN GRIND US DOWN AND CAUSE DEMOTIVATION. WHERE POSSIBLE, ALLOW YOUR EMPLOYEES TO BE IN CHARGE OF THEIR OWN WORKLOAD, WHICH SHOULD INCREASE ENGAGEMENT. IF EMPLOYEES ARE FULLY TRAINED AND CLUED UP ON WHAT THEIR POSITION REQUIRES, THEY ARE MORE CONFIDENT AND CONTENT IN THEIR ROLE. FEELING OUT OF THEIR 24 DEPTH WILL DECREASE MOTIVATION AND ULTIMATELY LEAD TO AN UNHAPPY WORKFORCE. SET UP INTERNAL NETWORKING EVENTS TO HELP EMPLOYEES BUILD CONTACTS WITHIN THE COMPANY AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW IT OPERATES. IF AN EMPLOYEE 25 GETS TO KNOW COLLEAGUES AND THE WAY OF THE BUSINESS THEN THEY'LL FEEL MORE INVOLVED. THE INDIVIDUAL ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO WORK TO THEIR STRENGTHS AND OFFER THEM 26 WORKSHOPS OR COURSES TO HONE SKILLS OR TALENT THEY FEEL THEY HAVE OR THAT YOU MIGHT SEE IN THEM. ENSURE THAT BOTH YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYEES CLEARLY SET OUT 27 ACHIEVABLE GOALS AND HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS. THIS WILL AVOID MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND MOTIVATE EVERYONE TOWARDS PARTICULAR AIMS. IF YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES, ALLOW YOUR EMPLOYEES A DAY OR TWO TO 28 WORK ON SOMETHING THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT - WHETHER THAT BE VOLUNTEERING IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY OR WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT. 29 WHILE MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING, IT CERTAINLY IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR FOR MANY INDIVIDUALS. FOR EMPLOYEES TO BE HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE, THEY MUSTN'T BE PAID LESS THAN THEY'RE WORTH. BEING UNDERPAID OFTEN RESULTS IN UNHAPPINESS. TO FIND OUT WHAT MOTIVATES YOUR STAFF, ASK THEM. HAVE CONVERSATIONS 30 ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN IN THE COMPANY AND WHAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR JOBS EASIER. ONCE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN WORK OUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT. unum unum.co.uk Because everyone needs a back-up plan SOURCES + REFERENCES ENTREPRENEUR.COM FORBES.COM WHENIWORK.COM INC.COM