Keeping your staff morale high should be near the top of the list of priorities for all companies, and not just because you want your business to look good to the outside world. Keeping your employees happy also makes sense from a financial point of view too, because studies have shown that when morale is up, productivity is up as well.
What’s more, you can make a huge difference to how your staff are feeling without have to spend huge sums of money. Here are a few little things that will make a big impression with your employees.
The right physical environment
One of the easiest business features to improve is your staff’s physical working environment. Send a survey around asking if they are comfortable at work and you might find that a few things need updating or changing. Do you have ergonomic keyboards to help prevent repetitive strain injury, are your chairs providing enough back support and is your working environment at the right temperature?
These may sound like minor issues but they can really grind down your employees over time. If an issue does make itself apparent, look into buying new office equipment or enlist the help of nearby central heating services to create the best working environment possible for your staff.
The right culture
Creating the right workplace culture can be tricky to achieve, but it is certainly worthwhile. This will involve giving your staff freedom of expression, trusting them to fulfil their responsibilities and being honest with them at all times. An open and inclusive culture will work wonders for your employee morale and help you attract more talented staff to your company.
All work and no play…
You don’t have to install a slide or ball pond into your office, but making time for some fun will help your staff make the most of their work. Try starting a monthly social club, for example, where employees contribute a small proportion of their wages to go towards a fun activity that they can enjoy with their colleagues. Team bonding is a great way of boosting morale and reminds employees that work is about more than just, well, work.
Celebrate achievements
As a company, do you do enough to celebrate the achievements of your hardworking employees? If you don’t, they may feel undervalued and fail to give their best. Something as simple as an “Employee of the Month” scheme could be a way of placing the spotlight on talented individuals in your business. Remember, however, to celebrate achievements at all levels of the company, from high-ranking board members to junior execs.
Get them out of the office
Another great way to boost employee morale is to get rid of them – although not permanently. Let them work from home from time to time and send them on external training courses where relevant. Breaking up the monotony of work is important for morale, productivity and creative thinking. Offering your staff a change of scenery is refreshing and sets them up to get going with renewed gusto when they return to their usual surroundings.