Some employers truly do not care about the happiness of their workers. We would urge you to avoid being that kind of boss. After all, a happy worker tends to be a more productive one. At the very least, a happy worker is more likely to stick around and continue providing useful services to your company. If you are looking for some ways to improve the overall happiness of your employees, here are a few useful ideas.
An Employee Of The Month Program
This is a reliable and time-honored way to encourage a sense of pride amongst your workers. Besides, as a matter of principle, those who provide exceptional service should be honored in some way. Giving out an employee of the month award gives people a goal and a reward, and both of those can be powerful motivating factors.
It is desirable to give your employees a physical award so that they have something to show for their accomplishments. Employee of the month plaques and trophies can be obtained at a reasonable price, and many of them are quite nice-looking. The employee of the month might also receive certain other extra perks like a reserved parking space or a small monetary bonus.
Be Flexible Regarding Time Off
No matter how hard-working a person may be, everyone needs a little time off here and there. When one of your employees needs a little bit of flexibility in this department, a little bit of leniency can do a lot to establish loyalty. Of course, you do have to be careful, because some people will attempt to take advantage of this leniency in a way that is harmful to your business.
And so, the best policy is to be as flexible as possible when your employees need time off…but only for those who have proven their worth. A good employee deserves a little time off when a personal emergency of some sort arises. These things can and often do happen. As for those employees who don’t deserve that level of trust, you should probably be looking to replace them anyway.
A 401 K Retirement Plan
Depending on the nature of your workforce, you might want to give some employees the option of a 401k retirement plan. In most cases, you want your best employees to stick around for life. Obviously, many of them will not do that, but it’s a good idea to reward those who do.
This measure shows your employees that loyalty to the company will be rewarded and recognized. It’s also very reassuring for older workers who might be concerned about their post-retirement fortunes. Normally, an employee contributes a certain amount of their wages to the retirement fund. When they do this, they are purchasing a small amount of stock in the company, which will continue to earn money after their retirement.
Encourage Good Communication
In general, you want to create a workplace in which employees feel free to communicate their concerns with management. Likewise, good communication between management and staff will allow your business to function more smoothly. Changes in policy or procedures should always be communicated to your employees clearly and repeatedly. Even if you cannot follow every suggestion that your employees may give, you should always be willing to hear them.
Always Set A Good Example
Like any other pack animal, humans naturally want a good leader. When you are willing to jump in and show them how it’s done, you are showing them that you are capable of performing the same work that they do every day. Instead of telling people how to do something, show them how to do it properly. This principle is especially important when it comes to matters of integrity.
Conclusion
All of these methods will help you to improve worker satisfaction, which helps immensely with employee retention. Of course, this article is about celebrating the success of your employees, and that brings us to an important point: All of these perks and benefits should only be made available to those who have earned them. This gives your employees a reason to work harder, to be more productive, and to contribute more to the overall advancement of the business.