Happy employees are more productive, better leaders, more creative and better team players. When employees are loyal and engaged in the company, profits are higher. Happy employees are also more satisfied and feel a sense of accomplishment in their work. When considering how to keep everyone happy and engaged, Tower Group has put together a few tips on how to make your workplace one where happiness and productivity thrive. Consider the following guidelines:
Make Your Expectations Clear
Set clear expectations for employees, including what is to be done, when it is to be done by, and where it goes after they have complete it. Within these expectations, you need to set clear boundaries, demonstrate healthy leadership and provide sound direction. The more issues and expectations you outline, the fewer problems arise, which leads to productive workers.
Invest in Personal Development
Most people naturally want to better themselves, if for no other reason than just to further their career. Offer free training programmes and educational opportunities to anyone who wants to partake. When you empower your employees with knowledge and skills, you keep them up to date, your employee turnover drops, your productivity stays high and you keep up with modern developments.
Provide Workplace Flexibility
Sometimes someone has a situation where they can continue working for your company, but would prefer to have two days a week telecommuting to spend time with family or to take over while someone is sick. Rather than lose their goodwill, morale and productivity by forcing them to take sick days, why not allow that flexibility? As long as they can continue to contribute, there’s no reason to pin them down. Wherever possible, allow for reasonable flexibility and always strive to be compassionate and understanding.
Recognise Employees for their Efforts
Highlight milestones that people hit or challenges they have overcome. This recognition of your staff has zero cost, but the returns can be very significant. To create a company culture of success and continuous improvement, first create a culture of recognition. Often what gets recognised gets repeated, and even simply saying “thank you” goes a long way. When workers feel that they are a dynamic and essential part of the team, they are more productive and willing to go the extra mile for their customers and co-workers. Therefore, give praise openly, set goals appropriate to the work and always take your employees’ needs seriously.
Today, companies and leaders must think outside the box to keep employees happy. It is worth doing so, because if you keep them happy, you keep them working. When you have a happy and productive workforce that is eager to contribute, your company can weather any economic storm. Continue to read our blog for more interesting and informative articles about recruitment, the workplace and more.
