Employees’ happiness, motivation, and dedication to your company are influenced by a multitude of factors. Staff productivity and retention is usually high on the list of priorities for managers everywhere, and companies like to rely on platitudes such as “we’re all one family” to tap into a sense of employee loyalty.
However, there are several ways you can sincerely boost employee happiness and remind them of how much they’re valued, which is the number one factor in staff retention.
Make employee wellness a priority
Review the health and wellness policy in your company. What kind of health benefits are you offering? Do employees feel empowered to stay at home if they’re sick? What if their children are sick? This is a huge factor in your employees’ overall happiness.
Consider best practices in-house as well. Do people have access to fresh fruit in the office? (More on implementing this in your own office here). What about standing desks? Office yoga? Small steps like these let employees know that their health is a priority, making them feel valued as a result.
Promote a team culture
Your company probably has plenty of branded loot in the form of t-shirts, coffee mugs, and water bottles. People love the opportunity to represent their company, and in turn it boosts their own feelings of pride in their work, while solidifying their sense of belonging. Fostering this feeling is an easy way to boost staff retention.
Add some greenery
According to US News & World, office plants are a cheap and easy way to boost morale at work. Quoting a study from the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, they noted “having some greenery in your office space can make you both happier and more productive”. The research suggests “greenery increases engagement by making people more physically, cognitively and emotionally involved in their jobs.”
Sponsor professional development and growth
Invest in your employees and you’ll be repaid in kind. Company sponsored memberships to professional organisations shows employees that the company cares about their career development, and provides wonderful opportunities for networking and professional growth. In the same vein, give your employees the opportunity to attend important industry events and conferences whenever possible.
Share skills company-wide
It’s easy for certain skills to become siloed once a company reaches a certain size. Encourage skill sharing among your employees to ensure everyone feels that they are continually updating their knowledge base. No one can be allowed to feel like they are stagnating at work. Whether through professional development time or quick lunch-and-learns each month, everyone in your team should have the opportunity to share their skills, feel useful, and learn something new.
Offer remote work options
Parents especially value this, but everyone can appreciate taking advantage of remote work when offered. This shows your employees that you trust them to work efficiently at home when needed, and studies show that employees often get more work done at home than they do in the office. Many companies offer a certain number of days per month, or per quarter, for remote working when requested.