If you own or manage a business, you’re well aware of the fact that a happy employee is a productive employee. But if you’ve already tried some of the common suggestions, such as incentivizing employees, and your team is still dragging, you might need to come up with some other ways to keep your employees excited and happy about working in the office.
There are many techniques that will allow you to build a strong team of happy employees. Here are seven of them that will keep your employees excited about working in your office.
Know what a happy employee looks like
Happy employees are positive, actively participate in their own career development, and go above and beyond their job duties. They’re easy to spot. Disgruntled employees are also easy to spot and they can bring the entire mood of the office down. If you realize you have a bad seed, work with that employee to see if you can improve their happiness. If you can’t, you may need to consider letting them go to keep the rest of your employees excited about coming to work.
Keep the office clean
A clean, organized environment improves the overall health and happiness of employees. Dirty environments are full of germs and disorganized environments lead to high levels of stress. Employees should be encouraged to keep their desks free from clutter and to disinfect their area, but you’ll also want to do a deep cleaning of your entire office space regularly. This means dusting, vacuuming, and disinfecting all surfaces. Considering hiring a company to help with office cleaning if necessary.
Celebrate milestones
Take the time to celebrate important career milestones, such as a successful event or a promotion. This not only acknowledges the work your employees are doing, but it also gives them a brief break from their work. Consider acknowledging these milestones with lunch or a small party. Also, celebrate important life milestones, such as marriage or the birth of a child. This shows your employees you care about them as people, not just as employees.
Support innovation
If your employees come to you with a feasible idea for a project that won’t break the bank, support their ideas! Even if you’re not sure the project will fully work out, sometimes giving your employees some room for creative innovation allows them to feel excited about taking on a new project. Sometimes innovation might lead to something great that boosts your company forward! And even if their project ends up failing, remember that failure is sometimes needed in order for people to grow.
Set a good example
If you come into the office grumpy and stressed, your employees will quickly pick up on your mood. They’ll either actively avoid you or start to develop a negative attitude. Instead, greet your employees with a smile and a positive message. Exhibit the behavior that you want from your employees. Another way to set a good example is by sharing your own positive accomplishments during meetings and encouraging your employees to do the same.
Plan team-building activities
Team building is a great way to foster relationships within the office, which can lead to employees feeling more comfortable around each other, which can create a more positive vibe in the office. However, what many employers do wrong is forcing a small team building activity, such as an icebreaker, and then jumping right into work. The best team building activities are ones that don’t feel like team building activities. Instead of staying inside the office, do something fun off-site! For example, plan a scavenger hunt around the property where your employees will still need to work together.
Offer career development
Most people want to advance their careers so that they can eventually get a higher-level position. If you want to keep employees excited about coming to work, give them the chance to grow! Let them attend conferences, complete webinars as an office, or take a class. Supporting their career development shows you care about their professional well-being and that you want to help them reach their goals. Some employers avoid offering career development if they aren’t capable of promoting employees, but this leads to your employees feeling unfulfilled and unhappy.
Final thoughts
If you want to keep your employees excited about working in your office, you’re going to have to find ways to keep them happy! In addition to the ideas mentioned above, ask your employees what they want. This encourages them to be transparent about their needs.
