Create a good working environment
No one wants to work in a drab, uninspiring workplace. Why not introduce some colour to your environment? Plants? Soft furnishings? Having dedicated ‘break out areas’ or comfortable staff rooms where staff can go to relax and socialise during breaks can also be a good way of keeping staff moral high, as can ensuring the number of facilities you provide match the number of staff you have.
Listen to your staff
Running a staff survey can help you to connect with your employees and find out what they’re thinking – but it’s only useful it you act upon the results. There will always be both positive and negative feedback, but if there are recurring themes that keep coming up then this suggests there are specific areas for improvement. And if your employees can see that you’re making strides to address an issue they’ve raised, it will inspire confidence and show them that you respect their opinions.
Be as transparent as possible
In business, changes are going to happen and decisions are going to be made at a managerial level on a daily basis. But when those decisions are going to directly affect your workforce, they’re at risk of feeling blindsided and uncertain if all they see is the end result. While there are many aspects of management that it’s not possible to share with your workforce, allowing them to understand how and why a decision has been reached (where possible) could help to reassure them and alleviate any concerns they may have.
Support training and equipment needs
In a company of any significant size, it’s impossible for even the best management team to know the ins and outs of every employee’s role. That’s why it’s important to trust your staff’s judgement when it comes to their own training, hardware and software needs. If someone’s asking for a specific tool or piece of software, they’ve probably got a really good reason for it – maybe it will make them more efficient or allow them to tackle more complex tasks. While the balance sheet of any company obviously has to be considered, sometimes an investment in your staff’s needs now will bring greater rewards in the future.
Provide rewards and bonuses
Speaking of rewards, it’s important to offer your staff incentives to work to the best of their ability, and to recognise it when they do. Targets, bonuses and reward programmes are great ways of boosting your staff’s initiative and give them something clear to work towards. It also shows that you value their hard work and their commitment to your company, which can boost staff loyalty in return!
So there you have it – 5 tips to help keep your staff happy and your workplace thriving. And if you’re also interested in boosting productivity, make sure you check out 5 apps that make you more effective at work to get some useful advice you could pass on to your staff.
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Details
- Publication date
- 18 September 2017
- Authors
- European Labour Authority | Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
- Topics
- Hints and tips
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