Tips On Keeping Employees Happy

Businesses succeed when they focus not just on their customers, but also on their employees.

If you want to ensure your company is working at its most productive, there is nothing more crucial than having a great team of happy employees. But it is not just about hiring a skilled workforce. Making sure that they are constantly happy is just as important. 

So, what is the secret to keeping your employees happier at work? Sure, there are obvious things like job security or a competitive salary package, but, in the long run, there are other non-monetary realities to be acknowledged here. But it may be easier than you think and ensuring a few key points can make all the difference here. 

Happy employees tend to miss less work, perform better, and support company innovation. Here are a few tips on keeping your employees happy.

1) Employees Must Enjoy the Process

In the Book, "How Will You Measure Your Life" Business School Administrator at Harvard, Clayton M Christensen writes about what motivates employees and creates happiness. He tells a short story within the book about a time that he and his children built a treehouse together. He gave his kids important roles such as picking out the lumber and using a hammer. None of the time had felt like they were bogged down with a monumental task but had a vision of a beautiful treehouse they were building together. The same goes for employees everywhere. They need to feel that they are building something that is worth being a part of, and enjoying the process. Not only should they want to be part of the end goal, but also around their fellow team members.

2) Give respect

The one thing that every employee craves is respect. Getting a fat salary package and a comfortable, if not swanky, the workplace is one thing. But to be valued for the human being he or she is should come even higher to everything that is tangible. 

An employee works hard to get to where he is. Being given due regard for the education and the work experience an employee brings along is what would have landed him the job. It is important to value that and make him feel respected for their efforts and contribution. 

3) Listen to them

Workplace practices that are positive and supportive can positively impact employee mental health and the morale of the company. However, something that many employers and bosses forget is that communication needs to be two-sided. Often, supervisors decide they should be the ones who does the talking and that their employees only need to listen. This results in an unbalanced environment where your employees do not feel heard, respected, and cared for. 

Listen to what your employees need to say and use their suggestions and feedback to evolve and grow. Besides making your employees feel respected and valued, you can also gain some good insights and ideas for whatever situation you are facing. Make the most of their suggestions by asking them for their opinion and deliberating on them as thoroughly as possible

4) Don’t hold back on the praise when deserving

Do you wait for your end-of-year event to acknowledge your employee milestones?

Everyone thrives on positive feedback on whatever they do and accomplish. As a boss, it is important to be generous and sincere with good words and a pat on the back to a deserving employee. 

It could be a difficult assignment or even one where an employee has gone above and beyond his call of duty. By complimenting them and doing so publicly too, every employer earns attention and appreciation for work done with skill and perseverance. You can show your appreciation to your employees by thanking them for their contributions during presentations or by holding monthly team lunches.

5) Trust them, empower them

Happy employees are more trustworthy. A way of showing employees respect and giving them their due is by trusting them to deliver on their responsibilities. Often, an individual performs better in a positive environment where they feel the overall team’s performance is dependent on their own. 

If suitably empowered and assigned responsibility, an employee feels motivated and puts in more than he would if reduced to be a mere average contributor. A good starting point to a happier workplace is to assess each employee’s potential and give them more challenges and help them raise their own bar. 

Of course, it is important to train them sufficiently and set expectations for the outcomes. Also, periodically tracking their performance and giving regular feedback can ensure they hit their targets. By not trusting them and giving them opportunities, they feel disinterested and stop enjoying their workplace and their job. 

6) Improve the working environment

Having a well-designed office can impact how productive employees are and how they can do their jobs. To improve your working environment, you need to create a humane working space. It is unfortunate that too many of us are confined to closed cubicles with harsh fluorescent lights killing our passion for work. Ensure that your office space is as light-filled as possible, and if possible, let natural light stream in. It is important to pursue and maintain employee happiness; a happy staff eventually leads to better productivity, better motivation, and better corporate culture.