Without your team of staff, you simply wouldn’t be able to keep your business running. It is their hard work and loyalty to your company that enables you to keep moving forward, as you couldn’t possibly do everything by yourself. This is why it is important to make sure that each employee feels appreciated and is happy to continue working for you. However, many things can damage morale in the office, whether it issues between colleagues or a busy period where people start to feel overworked and in desperate need of a break. To help keep your employees happy, try the following suggestions so that they know that their hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed and that you’re grateful for them.
Reward Schemes
A very popular and successful way to show employees how much you appreciate them is by implementing a reward scheme in your company. Not only does it give them the recognition they deserve for a job well done, but these rewards can provide incentives for employees to hit their targets and excel in their roles. It might be things like offering a cash bonus, tickets to the theatre, gift certificates to spend at upmarket retailers or a nice restaurant, or even covering the costs of a weekend break for two if you’re very generous. You can use this payroll software which also allows you to keep track of employee rewards as well to make these schemes easier to manage.
Benefits
As well as offering your employees rewards for their hard work, another thing that will keep them happy working for you is if you can offer them employee benefits. These are things like helping to cover healthcare and dental costs, the use of a company car, gym memberships, family days out, etc. It takes more than just offering a good salary to keep employees happy, and a lot of job seekers are looking at what a company can offer in terms of benefits more so than ever, which is why you need to be offering some if you want your staff to stick with you.
Development Opportunities
No one wants to stay in a job that can’t offer them any career progression or the opportunity to develop their skillset. If you want to keep your employees happy, they need to know that you’re committed to helping them achieve their career goals and want them to progress within your company because you believe in their talent and capabilities. Whether it’s providing engaging training programs or perhaps even starting a mentorship scheme where staff can buddy up with a senior employee who will offer guidance could work nicely, too.
Encourage Socializing
Sometimes friendships and relationships between employees can make employers nervous. Will they become distracted at work? What if there is a falling out? What if this risks misconduct as a result? While it’s understandable to be concerned over things like that as a business owner, it’s also important to remember that your employees spend a lot of their time together, so a bit of comradery between them could go a long way. Not only will they feel happier coming to work knowing they can see friends, but this could also encourage them to work harder as part of the team because they don’t want to let others down and feel connected to them. Encourage your colleagues to socialize by perhaps doing monthly after-work drinks or group dinners on a Friday night so that they can get to know each other outside of the office if they want to.
Ethics
Another thing that potential employees like to look out for these days is the company’s ethics. People want to work for a brand that they can trust and one that they can be proud to be a part of. Consider what your company can do to make a bigger difference in your local community and beyond. It might be supporting a local sports club or putting on annual/bi-annual fundraisers for charities. You should also think about your company’s policies on inclusivity, environmental issues, and equal opportunities for all. If you want your employees to be happy working for you, you need to make sure you’re setting a great example to other businesses and the people who work for you as well.
Make it a Fun Place to Work
Finally, make sure your offices are fun places to work. Yes, you need your staff to focus on their daily tasks, but allowing them to relax a little and have some fun at work can do a lot to boost morale. Perhaps introducing casual Fridays where they can wear comfortable clothing, and employees can take part in silly games in the afternoon or clock off early. You could even have a Friday or Monday morning breakfast club where you provide platters of pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and teas, and coffee for them to enjoy and perk them up in the mornings.
If you want to make sure that your employees are kept happy and love to work for your company, consider the suggestions above and see how they can boost morale within your teams.
