Your employees are your most valuable assets. It is important that you ensure your employees are happy at work. Happier employees mean a more committed workforce, higher productivity, and lower staff turnover. Here are some tips you can use to ensure you are motivating and boosting the morale of your employees.
1. Get to know your employees as people
Make time for your employees. Talk to them individually to get to know them. Ask them about their families, their weekends, their hobbies. These conversations help build trusting relationships which will help you work together effectively. Think about your own body language when you chat with your employees. Do you treat these conversations as distractions from work? Do you look at the clock? Do you try to end conversations quickly? Do you have comfy reception chairs to encourage employee interaction? Remember, as an employer, it is your job to nurture these relationships and make people feel important so that they feel like an integral part of the team.
2. Encourage a healthy work/life balance
According to https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/w/work-life-balance, work-related stress costs Britain 10.4 million working days per year. Promote flexible working. Train managers to spot signs of stress. Encourage a culture of openness where people can express when they feel they have too much work to complete. Provide activities and facilities that allow employees to relax and switch off. People will value your efforts.
3.Create a positive working environment
No one wants to work in a dark, dingy office. Making your workplace attractive and comfortable means your employees will feel their best and want to achieve their best. Think about the furniture you choose. Having communal areas with nice reception chairs encourages people to sit and have coffee comfortably.
4. Recognize accomplishments
Think about the last time someone praised you. How did you feel? We all like to know that we have completed something well. By recognizing achievements and showing gratitude, you are actually strengthening feelings of self-confidence and reinforcing your employees’ sense of purpose in the workplace. This doesn’t have to be a grand gesture every time someone does something right. A handwritten note is a small way you can thank someone for doing a good job. Sending someone on a course or to a convention is another way of showing people that you value them.
