Studies have shown that happy employees are more productive employees. If someone is happy in their job role, they’re likely to go the extra mile at work. So how do you ensure that your employees are happy at work, especially when job satisfaction isn’t always down to the salary they earn or any added benefits they may get? If you want to ensure that your employees are happy, here are our top tips for keeping them motivated and content:
Encourage ideas and input from your staff
Encouraging your staff to come up with ideas or asking them for feedback or input on key business decisions will give them a better sense of belonging. Ask them for their input on how to improve their productivity, how you can improve their workspace (this may be particularly important for coworking space and hot desking), or even what they’d like to see on the menu in the company canteen.
While you don’t have to implement every idea that your staff come up with, it will show that you do value their input and that you’re open to suggestions about how to make them more comfortable.
As a knock-on effect, your staff will feel more willing to raise issues and ideas if they feel that you take their opinions seriously.
Share your vision for the company or organisation
For employees to be truly happy in their job role, they need to feel that their efforts are appreciated and that they have the respect of both their superiors and their co-workers. Most people like to know where they fit into the world, and that’s also true of employees. They need to know and understand how their job role fits into the company structure, and its importance to the overall working of the company, so take some time to share your vision of the company with all your employees.
Keep your employees informed
Being open and honest about your company’s performance will go a long way to making your employees feel valued and respected. Share your successes but also keep employees informed of any challenges the company may be facing, and keep them up to date of any changes within the company.
Treat each employee as an individual
When you choose to reward your staff, try to find a way to recognise each individual’s effort with a reward that means something to them, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all reward structure. Some employees would prefer a financial bonus whilst others would prefer extra time off. It is therefore all about talking to your staff and developing a reward system that’s motivating for each individual.
Acknowledge staff achievements
We all like recognition for something we’ve done well, and the workplace is no exception. Ensure that you always recognise your employees’ achievements; whether someone has passed an exam, or someone has done something that has really helped the company profile.
We all want to be part of a great team and be recognised for the part we play in the success of the company.
Help your employees to grow
A stagnant workforce is a bored workforce. Encourage your staff to take on extra responsibilities or learn new skills whenever possible. It will not just add value to your company as a whole, but it will give your employees a sense of achievement together with the ability to take on other roles within your company.
A happy workforce equals a more motivated workforce
As you can see, staff satisfaction is not only about money or benefits. You need to keep your staff motivated with praise, acknowledgements and rewards that mean something to them.
Your bottom line will certainly thank you for it.
