Most employers understand the benefits of a happy team, such as a higher retention rate, better customer service, more creativity, and increased productivity. However, understanding the benefits and putting yourself in the best position to receive them are two different things. If you’re struggling with retention rates and general staff dissatisfaction, there’s room to turn it around. Here are a few practical ways to keep your employees happy.
Carry Out Stay Interviews
If you’re an employer trying to create a happy and productive workplace, you might be asking, what is a stay interview, and why should I perform one? A stay interview allows employers to identify why employees have stayed in their role, what they like about their job and the company, and the changes they would like to see to retain that happiness going forward. If you’re not sure what your employees need to remain satisfied in their role, it can be essential to ask them. You may then benefit from a better retention rate.
Make Work-Life Balance a Priority
Work-life balance refers to our ability to manage our time inside and outside the workplace. Workers who don’t have a desirable work-life balance may be unhappy in their job, impacting their private life and leading to both physical and mental health issues.
To prevent burnout in your team, make work-life balance a priority. You might decide to allow your team to take more breaks, work from home, and potentially even work fewer hours. You might also be more flexible with time-off requests and standard working hours.
Listen to Your Employees
You might be the decision-maker in your business, but that doesn’t mean your employees can’t provide input into decisions being made that might impact them. If you intend to make changes to any software, hardware, or even everyday processes, consider discussing them first with your employees. While you have the final say, their feedback may allow for changes that benefit your workplace more than anticipated.
Recognize and Reward
Studies have shown that employees would quit if they felt unappreciated, which might be why some businesses experience higher turnover rates than others. Take note of all the incredible things your team does and reward them for them.
Consider providing bonuses when they land big accounts or even offering a free lunch after bringing a particularly challenging deal to a close. Some managers might even see the value in reward systems and peer recognition programs for achievements. Additionally, incorporating in-person or online team-building activities can help boost your team’s spirit by collaborating and solving murder mysteries or engaging in virtual team trivia nights. It doesn’t take much time, effort, or money to recognize and reward employees. It may impact their happiness more than you think.
Create a Comfortable Work Environment
You might not believe that where you work makes a difference to productivity and happiness, but it just might. From the physical layout to the furniture, space, and storage, it can all be important. An ideal office environment can be one with plenty of natural light, green plants for healthy air, comfortable and ergonomic office furniture such as standing desks, chairs, training tables, and room for collaborative and individual workspaces.
Keeping your employees happy isn’t a significant undertaking, and it can be important for retaining a satisfied workforce that values your company and keeps your productivity levels high. Take the time to consider these options above and put a plan in place to lift your employees’ spirits.
