A happy and content workforce is the key to building and running a successful business. Your employees are vital for keeping your business running efficiently, without them, you would be unable to run your business properly.
To keep your business running smoothly, it is essential that your employees feel happy, content and well-looked after. Otherwise, they may be tempted to take their skills elsewhere – to your competitor, perhaps?
To help you keep your employees feeling happy and content, we have put together some essential tips to help you. To find out more, have a read of this.
1. Be Flexible
If your staff are willing to be flexible and work overtime for you, it is essential that you repay the favour. Show your staff that you appreciate what they do by being flexible with them.
Are your staff working longer hours for the same pay? Are you employees willing to work on weekends? Then, how about rewarding them for their hard work. If your staff have been working extra hard recently, reward them by giving them two hours of free time one afternoon.
2. Treat employees equally
Whether an employee is your advisor or your office cleaner, make sure to treat all employees as equals.
Make your employees feel comfortable and equal around you by spending time getting to know each of them. A friendly smile each morning, a quick chat about their weekend or a friendly email, are all great ways to make your staff feel equal.
3. Take Ideas on Board
If someone has an idea, don’t immediately shut them down, make the time to listen to them. Your employees will feel much more content if they think that you are willing to listen to and take their ideas on board.
As well as taking ideas on board, make sure that now and then you implement your employee’s ideas. It doesn’t matter how big or small the idea is, actually implementing it, will make your employees feel like you listen to them.
4. Create a Pleasant Working Environment
One of the main things affecting how your employees feel is the environment that they work in. That is why it is important to create a nice working environment for your staff.
If you are unsure what your employees think of their working environment, ask them. Perhaps the main office is too hot or too cold? Perhaps your employees find the office too loud to work in? Or, perhaps the office could do with some more social areas? If you don’t ask, then you won’t know what needs to be done. If, for example, you find that the office is too cold, perhaps you could look into heating solutions companies, like Winrow.
To create an office environment that all employees are comfortable in, operate a no food at desks rule. This will stop the office smelling like a school canteen. Instead, create a few small breakout areas where employees can prepare and enjoy their lunch.
5. Praise Employees for Good Work
Make sure that you take the time to praise your employees for good work. Don’t just send an email thanking them for their effort, publically praise them in front of the rest of the team.
Have rewards in place for staff who have worked really hard. Things like meal vouchers and cinema tickets always seem to go down well.
