We spend a lot of our lives working, so it’s important that we make the most of the potential for joy in the workplace. It’s a known fact that the happier your employees, the better your company will function as a whole, with increased morale, productivity, and efficiency.
Not only does a happier work environment encourage and promote greater creativity, it also forges higher levels of dedication than having a solely work-focused office. Put simply, workplace happiness can have a very real effect on your ability to generate profit, so it’s worth looking at some of the most popular and efficient ways of making a happier work environment.
If you’re looking for ways to improve attendance, reduce errors and defects, and create a much more comfortable workspace, then here are the top three ways to create the ultimate happy office.
Have an IDP for every employee
Being focused on the future of your employees is essential when it comes to workplace happiness, and an Individual Development Plan (IDP) is the perfect way to promote this.
Also read: How To Align Your People Plan With Business Objectives
A good IDP will focus on both career and personal development and should be designed with both long and short-term goals in mind. Having a robust IDP program in place will also help you better understand the strengths and weaknesses of your workforce, while also allowing room to grow and improve.
Investing both time and financial commitment to the growth of your staff is a great way to show your belief in them as individuals, and that’s a great way to keep your team happy. By showing that you care, your employees will thank you for your time and money, which is spent on improving their skills and happiness.
So, sit down with your members, or if the company is large, hire someone to do it for you, and ask them what they wish to aspire to, and then find ways to help them get there.
Bring your pet to work day
There’s no disputing that even the most relaxed work environment is still going to come with its own stresses and negativity. It’s inevitable in the fast-paced business world. Having pets in the workspace can benefit your office in ways that affect both your team and your business itself.
Also read: 8 Reasons To Make Every Day ‘Bring Your Pet to Work Day’
Being too focused on work matters can seriously inhibit productivity, and therefore increase stress. Having an office dog or cat can remind workers that they can pause and take a much-needed step away from their workload and can reduce unnecessary overworking.
Studies even suggest that an office dog can have a calming effect on employees. If you introduce a dog into your workplace, make sure that it remains calm and unstressed itself, and make use of CBD for dogs to keep them more relaxed and carefree. Your furry office friend will help to promote a more relaxed environment if he too is relaxed and calm.
Praise and Recognition
Being underappreciated at work is the number one reason for workers to quit, which makes it a more common reason for quitting work than low pay or too many hours. That’s why it’s more important than ever that every manager and business owner needs to be very open with their praise.
By being consistent with your vocal approval and praise for their work, you help to make your employees much happier and, as a result, much more keen to work harder and contribute to company-wide targets.
Also read: Celebrate Your Employees: Employee Recognition At Its Best
You can tackle this in two ways. The first is by privately discussing the positive aspects of their work, either via a private email or in a one-on-one meeting in the office. Alternatively, you could highlight the praise during staff meetings, but if you want to do this, be sure to praise everyone and not show favoritism. There’s a business adage that goes “Praise in public, admonish in private”, and it’s an adage that remains true.
Stay consistent with your praise, and recognize when someone does something praiseworthy, and your office will be much more content and productive. Whether it’s a simple thank you email or allowing them to take an extra day off as a holiday, praising good work can help make employees loyal, work better and also much harder.
A happy office is not difficult to achieve and can be positively beneficial to both your bottom line and your future growth. Invest in making your employees happy, and you’ll run a much more efficient business that is capable of much faster growth. Show them that you care by listening to them, creating a productive and comfortable environment, and by investing in them as they invest in you.
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