A happy employee is a productive employee! However, it can sometimes be difficult to know how to keep employees happy and engaged in their work. Luckily, there are a variety of strategies business owners and managers can employ to improve the moods of their employees. Below are some creative work-flow solutions that nearly any office can try out to get successful results. (Image Credit: David Mark)
Provide Positive Feedback
Employees feel the most appreciated when they get feedback on the work they have done. The more positive the feedback, the better. This is because praise is a wonderful (and free) motivator that employers can use to their benefit. Since this is a free motivator, any type of business, from a large office to a small business run by a successful entrepreneur, can use this strategy.
Positive comments and encouragement also help your valued staff to feel wanted and important. Employers who encourage their employees to think creatively and use their passions in their job are most likely to see success in their business than employers who restrict creative thinking and force employees to do everything by-the-book.
Improve Management
Employees often cite poor management as the reason for leaving their jobs. When management isn’t up to scratch, it makes it difficult for anyone to get their work done. Your employees need strong managers who can lead them, nurture them, and guide them in their positions. Without good management, the whole team can fall apart. Apart from picking the right people for management roles, one of the most important things you can do is ensure good management training. Picking a training provider like Corporate Coach Group will give you a reliable partner to work with. You want to make sure you’re focusing on different leadership skills and areas of management to help your managers grow and continually improve.
Invest in Cowork Space
Employees who are free to chat with others, even though it may seem distracting, can be more motivated to work harder than those who are secluded from others. Having someone in person to talk to may even cut down on the time employees spend on social media or on their phones, which could be distracting and negatively influence productivity.
One way employers can give their employees an outlet to talk to others is by investing in cowork space, or coworking. With cowork spaces, companies can rent out desks in a particular building for their employees to use. These rentals are usually by the month. On average, the more desks a company rents, the cheaper the rent per desk is. There are many wonderful places to go for cowork space in Beverly Hills, including the Studio at Beverly Hills.
Cowork spaces aren’t just great for businesses but also for entrepreneurs and people otherwise work for themselves, like freelancers. Sometimes, people who work from home can become bored, unmotivated, or easily distracted. It can sometimes be hard to get out of bed when you don’t have to be anywhere at a specific time or if your office is just another name for the sofa. By renting out a desk at a cowork space, freelancers and entrepreneurs can have a professional setting to work at outside of the house.
Encourage Employees Breakroom Activities
Employees need breaks for a reason! Taking breaks helps employees to recharge their metaphorical batteries. If someone feels drained, then they are much less likely to be productive and happy. However, if they are given a space to relax and unwind, then they can get back to work feeling refreshed and ready to go.
A good break room should help staff members to be relaxed. Many employees, especially in an office setting, may just opt to take their break at their desks; however, this doesn’t break the monotony of the work day.
Employers would do well to encourage their staff to actually use the break room for their breaks. To encourage staff to use the break room, it’s best that there is something in the break room that makes employees want to use it. Adding comfortable seating, a television or radio, adult coloring books, snack machines, and board or card games can encourage employees to relax and chat with each other.
Strategies Summarized
In summary, a happy employee is much more likely to be a better worker than employees who are drained. Employees will feel happiest when they feel as though they are being listened to, appreciated, and allowed to be creative in the workplace. Allowing for, and encouraging, socialization with coworkers, as well as providing a relaxing work and/or break environment can also help. Employers and entrepreneurs can both consider trying out some or all of these strategies to get happier employees without needing to change the staff!