Everyone wants a happy workplace. We're more productive, more loyal, and our company becomes an employer of choice. Here are a few simple tips to make your workplace happier.
Raise your hand if you like your workplace to be unhappy … thought so. Obviously, we all want to work in a happy environment. And management has a vested interest in creating one to improve employee engagement. When we’re happy, we’re more productive, there are fewer disputes and greater loyalty. Having a happy workforce has a direct impact on customer satisfaction as well.
Here are a few simple habits any company can develop for fostering a happier workplace.
Mistakes aren’t good for business, but they’re also unavoidable. Sometimes learning from errors leads to great insight. To make the most out of this costly lesson, many tend to over-analyze and even assign blame when important decisions were poorly made. Identify what worked and determine the necessary changes to avoid the same mistake. Take steps to correct the issue in the form of additional training, providing better access to company resources, restructuring business strategies, or other solutions. Stick to the positive when looking back.
Take some simple steps to acknowledge your employees. Your best bet strikes the right balance between genuine interest and seeing the value of small gestures. While you might be tempted to imitate the perquisites of popular startup companies such as coffee gadgetry, ping pong tables, free food, and others, but the costs can add up and they don’t necessarily create a better outcome than simpler approaches. To start with, small measures that you can sustain over time are recommended. Just asking the employees you come across about their day plants the seed of caring in the office.
You can certainly set the tone from the top and lead by example by having minor and meaningful interactions with employees. To expand on the benefits of your actions, invite employees to contribute to the workplace community. Management at all levels should participate, as this will be key to developing the tone in the office.
Warm weather and the sun shining make people happy. So why not get caught up in the movement and make your employees happier in the workplace too?
Is employee engagement lacking in your workplace? Check out these 6 hacks to help make your employees happier and your culture more productive.
An engaging recap of the McQuaig Institute's #MiChat on culture and reinventing the workplace with Pam Ross.