How often do you check in with your employees about their job satisfaction? We’re not talking about their pay and perks, but how they feel about their jobs. As an employer, the most crucial job for you is to ensure your employees are productive, but are you missing the key ingredient, ‘‘Happiness’’? Making your employees feel valued and happy at the workplace is the most effective way to increase productivity. Offering a pay raise or bonus will certainly brighten up your employee’s day and make them feel valued, but maintaining that happiness requires more than a monetary solution. For true happiness at work, businesses must give their employees a reason to come to work every day rather than making them suffer from the Monday blues, the Tuesday misery, or the Wednesday terrors.
According to Oxford University’s Saïd Business School research, it is found that employees are 13 percent more productive and determined to achieve their goals when they are happy in the workplace. According to Rise research, two-thirds of Australians (66 percent) value happiness over money and prioritise a positive work-life balance.
Happy employees are more creative, imaginative, and dedicated than those who are unhappy in their current jobs. Employees who are satisfied and fulfilled throughout their eight to nine-hour workday are more likely to perform better and importantly, they’re more likely to stay with the company. Promoting a happy and motivated work culture reduces work-related conflicts, lowers absenteeism, and boosts productivity.
That is why, if you want to create a productive corporate culture where people want to work, it’s important to make employees feel valued. Morale can be boosted by improving work-life balance, being transparent, providing better benefits, and saying “thank you” more often to make them feel appreciated. It takes a little effort and creativity to keep your employees satisfied, but it’s worth it. So, here are some tips to promote a happy workplace and boost employee’s productivity.
1. Team-building Activities
According to a survey conducted by Future Workplace in 2018, more than half of employees reported feeling lonely at work. Embrace team-building events to combat loneliness and make them feel more connected. You can help your employees to socialise and de-stress with something as easy as a bowling night or a company lunch. Organising team-building activities where employees can play, laugh, and solve issues together helps cultivate happiness, collaboration, and satisfaction.
2. Casual Work Environment
Making employees happy can sometimes be as simple as creating a welcoming office environment. Instead of asking them to wear business suits or follow a proper dress code every day, allow them to dress casually to be more comfortable and encourage them to decorate their workspace according to their own personal tastes.
3. Promote Mindfulness and Meditation
Some workdays can be hectic and full of distractions. Under these conditions, it might be difficult to minimise stress and enhance concentration. Encouraging mindfulness and meditation in the workplace can be a great way to foster a happy, more relaxed environment. Offering some guided meditation or yoga sessions in the office or dedicating a place for some quiet mindfulness can be quite useful.
4. Work-life Balance
Encourage staff to live a happy and fulfilling life outside the office by not pressurising them to work overtime or miss important life events. According to a Glassdoor survey, 87% of employees want their managers to help them in balancing work and personal commitments. Be respectful of their time and avoid emailing or calling them after working hours. Allow employees to unplug when they’re not at work so they can be happy and productive at work.
5. Show a Little Appreciation
Everyone deserves to be recognised for their hard work and dedication. It’s always a good idea to show your appreciation or reward your dedicated employees somehow. Stop by their desk to say, “keep up the good work” or deliver a handwritten letter and flowers to make them feel valued and appreciated. Simple, everyday acts of appreciation in the workplace are shown to bring teams closer together, boost employee morale, and overall productivity.
6. Encourage Feedback
Even with all your efforts to make employees happy, there will always be some scope for improvement. Listen to your employees, be open to feedback, and do your best to implement their suggestions. A Salesforce report states that employees who feel their voice is being heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform better. Your employees are the ones to assess their working conditions and can offer better ideas for building a more productive and encouraging environment. Make sure you are transparent and open in your approach to get the most out of your “feedback” session.
7. Workplace Wellness Initiatives
According to the American Psychological Association, 89 percent of employees who work for a company that promotes well-being are more likely to recommend it as a good place to work. Maintaining relationships with your employees and introducing a wellness initiative for them can be the key to their happiness. Paternity and maternity leave, medical benefits, and gym memberships can be a part of your company’s wellness program.
In short, there is no single way or a strategy to empower your staff to be more productive and stay happy at the same time. Rather, businesses should create the basis for a productive workplace by incorporating tiny initiatives over time. If you provide constant assistance, feedback, and encouragement to your employees you can definitely see a significant increase in production and their happiness level. As it said, the key to a successful business not only means focusing on the requirements of the clients but also fulfilling the happiness and needs of their employees.
