27 April 2015

How to Keep Your Employees Happy

It doesn’t matter how large or small your company is, or even what it does or sells. If you don’t keep your employees happy, you’ll never be truly successful. Every business is different when it comes to the specific needs of its employees, but there are some universal concepts you can apply to help keep your employees happy with their jobs.

Treat Them Like Adults

How you treat your employees plays a huge role in their happiness on the job. Treat them like the adults they are, and they’ll feel respected and appreciated. If you treat them like children by not keeping them in the loop regarding important changes within the company, or by talking down to them when they make a mistake, and they may start looking for employment elsewhere.

Acknowledge Hard Work and Successes

Good employees are an asset to your company, so be sure to acknowledge and reward hard work. This will encourage and inspire your employees to continue working hard and improving their performance. Rewarding success is a great way to encourage your employees to continue working towards the success of your business.

Encourage Bonding

When your employees feel that they ‘belong,’ they will be happier. Group activities, company bonding experiences, and even group lunchtimes can all create an inclusive atmosphere within the workplace, and keep your employees happy to be there.

Make Work Fun

Not every job is as fun as a barrel of monkeys, but that doesn’t have to mean that every minute of the day should be serious. Try to keep the atmosphere at work light whenever possible, and encourage times for your employees to relax and enjoy themselves while on the job.

Give them Permission to Decompress

If your employees always feel ‘on call’ because they have to deal with texts and emails outside of the office, make it clear that they should take time to fully disengage from work when they are away from it. Putting their jobs out of their minds and focusing on family and friends will help your employees deal with work stress more efficiently, making them happier to get back to the office when it’s time to work.