Try These Tips to Keep Your Employees Happy

Joe Weinlick
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Happy employees are an asset to any company. When employees feel valued and engaged, they are willing to work hard for the benefit of the organization, resulting in a productivity boost and a better bottom line. Here are some tips for creating a positive work environment, where happy employees work effectively and harmoniously with each other.

1. Pay Employees What They're Worth

Money talks. According to a recent survey, the most common reason for wanting to leave a job is an inadequate salary. If you don't pay your employees as much as they deserve, they are likely to leave your organization and go to work for a competitor that values them more highly. Offer fair salaries to new employees, based on their education and experience, and regularly review pay rates of existing employees. Offering bonuses for exceptional work will also ensure your workplace is full of productive and happy employees.

2. Offer Opportunities for Fun

Do you give your employees opportunities to have fun together? Consider starting an office sports team as a way of creating strong bonds between employees and promoting a positive work environment. Group sports create happy employees by giving them a way to have fun and stay in shape. However, if some employees don't want to take part, it's important that you don't try to force them to participate. Simply offer the opportunity, and let employees join in if they want to.

3. Cater to Employees' Comfort

People who are in pain are not happy employees. If you've noticed a lot of people complaining of back or neck ache, consider offering alternatives to the standard desk and chair. For example, some employees may prefer a standing desk or exercise ball, whereas others will be happy with an ergonomic chair that properly supports their back while they work.

4. Be Flexible

Employees balance their work with other commitments, such as family and caring responsibilities. Anything you can do to make this balancing act easier is likely to make employees feel valued and grateful. For example, a flextime policy that allows employees to leave early one day a week to take their kids to a sports practice, in exchange for making up the time elsewhere in the week, can make life much easier for working parents. Technology is also making it much easier for employees to work effectively from home, which means some people may be able to give up their commute. Millennials, in particular, appreciate the opportunity to work flexibly.

Workplaces that put these tips into practice have happy employees, which often translates into increased productivity. Use these tips to make your organization a fun, flexible and financially rewarding place to work. The result? Happy employees and better results for your company.


Photo courtesy of mistermong at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Janice thanks for your comment. Yes, in a perfect world, that is exactly how things should work at your place of employment. Realistically, the best we can hope for today is about half of what you suggested. But it is so true and, hopefully, companies will start waking up again. The past 9 years have been really tough on our economy and employers think that they can get good workers for a bargain. But they aren't stopping to think that as soon as a better opportunity opens up, their bargain employee is going to jump ship. I believe that things will get back to better working order in the next few years. Thanks again for your positive insight.

  • JANICE P.
    JANICE P. •

    If I may comment here....employees go to work for renumeration for their services. That renumeration should always be fair and most importantly - adequate. A stressed employee and rejected employee, as a result of low salary, will never be a good thing for the company. i think your outline above is great! This would all be predicated upon the first, hiring of good employees who can clearly understand the good work and good pay concept. Professionalism at all levels and, respect. You have that and you have a great working and production environment. Top down with attitude, bottom up with processing the work.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Brigitte thanks for your comment. It is unfortunate when something like that happens. Not always the supervisor's fault,, though. The team should have had an action step in place to follow up with the supervisor and to check on the order the day after it was submitted. Yes, the supervisor should have made sure that there was enough $$$$ in the budget to cover the cost of the supplies. But that should have been a team effort all around. It is a shame when things like this happen and the customer is the one who is left out in the cold.

  • Brigitte Ryon
    Brigitte Ryon •

    Letting your Supervisor know is not always the answer. Let me give you an example from a place I worked at. My team need some things to finish a job that would need to leave our warehouse in 5 days. went to our Supervisor to FYI him that we needed to order more supplies, and how soon we would need them. He and I sat right there to put in the order to the purchasing agent at our company to make sure it was correct and the time we needed it by. Two days later asked the Supervisor about the supplies. He went back to the purchasing agent to check on it. She told us we needed to use what we could, because she would not approve it. she said it would cost the company too much or the supplies. Needless to say we missed our ship date, and took it up with other superiors. This happens more than you think.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Mbema thanks for your comment - sad though it may be. If you don't have the necessary equipment or tools to get your job done, are you asking your supervisor? Are you letting your supervisor know that unless he gets the right equipment/tools, the job is never going to be finished. Remember that your supervisor has to answer to those above him. It could be that they just don't realize that you don't have everything you need.

  • Mbema Ngonjependa A.
    Mbema Ngonjependa A. •

    That is true, but now are days rare are the employers who will make their employees work with ease and provide the necessary equipments and tools needed to boast their business or company.

  • Alok B.
    Alok B. •

    This is the true psychology to get enhanced work level of employee ..
    Well said ...

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