6 ways to make your employees happier at work

A happy team of employees usually results in an increase in productivity and a far better working environment. Should you get the impression that things aren’t as good as they could be within your business, then making some changes and improvements could make a big difference. 

From promoting better internal communication to celebrating individual or team achievements, there are many things that can make your office a nicer place to be. It may also help to make your staff feel needed and appreciated. 

Here are 6 ways to make your employees happier at work.

1. Make your office feel inviting

If your office is dirty, cluttered, or a bit depressing to look at, it is unlikely to make staff ready and eager to come to work. It will probably do the opposite, so if you think your workspace could use an overhaul, get onto it as soon as you can. A fresh coat of paint can make things feel a lot brighter and cleaner. 

It’s also a good idea to let in as much natural light as possible, so keep windows clean and blinds open. It should do the trick to ward off any post-lunch lethargy that may be brewing. Moving furniture around may help create more space (or at least the illusion of more), and implementing a tidy desk policy should make everyone feel more accountable. The less paperwork there is lying around, and the cleaner the place looks, the happier your staff should feel. 

2. Offer incentives once in a while

Some companies like to offer performance or target-related financial bonuses each year, so if it’s something that your balance sheet can handle, implement it, and you could reap the benefits in other ways. You may find that employees will work a little bit longer, quicker, and harder, and push a bit more to achieve targets if they feel there is an additional benefit in doing so. 

If you can’t afford to offer monetary incentives, there are other things you could do that won’t cost as much. Events like a cityHUNT scavenger hunt, for example, are a great way not only to say thank you to your team for their efforts but to promote team building and have some fun. 

3. Flexible working conditions

This may not be feasible across the board, but many employers now offer more flexible working options to their staff. Flexible working hours is one option and working from home (which is becoming commonplace in some industries) is another. Pre-COVID many employers were opposed to the idea of home working but seeing that it can work and employees can remain just as productive has made many far more open to the idea. 

Another option which is highly desired, particularly with parents of young children, is job sharing. Of course, not all jobs would work with this setup without causing additional issues, but if it’s something you can accommodate, then why not? Offering flexibility will, without question, lead to happier employees and a far better working environment.

4. Let them disengage

Smartphones and laptops have made working much easier and even more productive. At the same time, it has made it seem like employees are always at work or on a sort of on-call. Getting texts and calls when workers are at home or done for work for the day is a surefire way to lower employee morale. 

This leads to an anxious feeling when they are trying to relax and enjoy time with family or friends but know that a text could come at any moment asking them to do something for work. 

Unless it is a dire emergency that can’t be avoided, then make sure to give them some time to feel disengaged from work. Have a policy in which they won’t be disturbed with work-related requests when they are not at work. 

5. Give them a voice

Nobody likes to feel like they are just another cog in the wheel. When an employee feels like they are directly involved in some of the important aspects of the business then they feel engaged and have some sort of ownership.

This means that they should be encouraged to speak up when they feel like they have a good idea or suggestion about how something could be done better. Since you hired these people for their good sense and intelligence, let them use it and you may be surprised at how much better the company does as a result. And these employees will feel better about their work and work better as a result. 

They should also be given free rein to talk about the negative aspects of the company without fear of repercussions. This can include anything from processes to specifics about the day-to-day work. Give them this respect and it will pay of fin a harmonious workplace. 

6. Don’t micromanage

Your employees know how to do their jobs. They were hired to do a specific job, so they should have the freedom to do it in the way that they think works best. After all, it’s the results that matter. 

When you micromanage it has a lot of negative effects and can seriously damage the morale of the workplace. It makes people feel like they can’t be trusted to make any decisions on their own. 

Besides being a morale killer, it also has a knock-on effect on productivity. If an employee feels like if they take initiative to do something on their own that will inevitably be told was wrong, then they will always essentially be waiting for orders. This will lead to a lot of downtime that is wasted.

Conclusion

All employees are different and have different needs and wants when it comes to working. And there is no way to please everybody. However, using these tips can definitely lead to a more pleasant workplace that people will enjoy working in. make sure to stay consistent and have it be a permanent way of operating for the sake of the employees and the company. 

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