Happy employees tend to be more creative and dedicated than unhappy ones. And they are likely to stick with you in the long-term. As you are going to see, creating an atmosphere of happiness at your workplace is not difficult. Using words such as ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ can go a long way.
Multiple researched studies have shown that happiness is directly connected to your organization’s performance. In particular, a study conducted by Harvard Business Review found that a positive environment in an organization benefits managers, employees, and the overall performance of the organization.
Fun fact: When your employees are happy, your organization will be successful.
Employees become engaged in their work when managers start supporting and respecting them. Disengaged workers are:
- 37 percent higher to be absent at work
- 49 percent more likely to cause accidents
- 60% more likely to make errors
If most of your employees are disengaged, it will cost your business a lot of money in the long run. We want to help you create an atmosphere of happiness at your workplace so that your business can grow and thrive. Here are eight simple tricks.
1. Greet your team
A little hello can do wonders at the workplace. Your team members want to feel valued and respected. So don’t fail to greet them in the morning with a big grin that says ‘I am happy to see you here and I want the best for you.’
Don’t lock yourself inside your office all day long. Walk around periodically and see how your team is doing. Ask them how their day is and if they need assistance with ongoing tasks.
We can’t emphasize enough on the importance of creating a positive environment that makes everyone feel valued and comfortable. Creating a positive atmosphere in the workplace is crucial in terms of happiness at the workplace and the productivity and energy levels of your team. And it all begins with you.
Something as simple as a smile or a Good morning is enough to turn around an employee’s day. Being genuine and upbeat in your approach boosts the team’s confidence and self-esteem. It also reminds them that working with you is a good thing.
2. Praise and recognize your employees
The number one reason why people leave their jobs in America is feeling underappreciated. It comes before low salaries, few vacation days, and a lack of work-life balance. This powerful statistic should be in front of your mind all the time.
Employees who are showered with praise and recognition tend to be eager and excited to contribute to the initiatives of the organization. It’s important to figure out how your team members want to be recognized for doing a great job. There are different languages of appreciation in the workplace. Use them and most importantly, be consistent.
3. Celebrate small wins
According to Teresa Amabile, a leading researcher in organizations, and the roles that people play, one of the greatest influences of a positive environment at the workplace and productivity is the principle of progress.
According to the researcher, meaningful work doesn’t need to be something out of the ordinary. However, it has to be valuable to the person doing it. Meaningful work can be something ordinary like providing quality products or services to customers.
For the principle of progress to be effective, the work has to be meaningful to the person in one way or another. Making sure that your employees are making progress and understanding the role they play in the organization will go a long way.
4. Make work fulfilling
We all want to feel like we are doing something that matters. For team members to feel great about the work they do, they need to understand the company’s purpose and mission. You have to ensure that they understand this clearly.
Have a meeting with your employees and let them know why every department is important. When employees get a picture of how the entire organization works, they’ll be connected to the business and commit to making it a success.
5. Have a gaming area
For your team to stay refreshed and motivated, you should encourage them to take short breaks regularly. Since you want them to stay away from their desks during breaks, you should consider providing them with a fun and relaxing area where they can go out for a few minutes to clear their heads.
A pool table or a picnic bench is enough to change the scenery of the workplace. Encourage them to socialize and play different games together. You’ll be surprised by the results.
6. Equip employees with new technologies
Almost 70 percent of employees feel like they cannot handle their job responsibilities every week. Maybe they have a lot on their plates. Or they are just slacking off because you haven’t invested in new technology in a long time. If you want your employees to be happy and boost their productivity, you need to equip them with the right tools to do their work. Who wouldn’t feel happy and valued getting a new mobile device or a computer with cutting edge technology and awesome project management tools?
7. Compensate your employees
Research studies have shown that almost 25 percent of employees would take another job for a 10 percent raise. Since it’s cheaper to retain employees than hire and train new ones, ensure that you are paying your employees competitively from the start. They’ll be happy with what they receive and won’t be looking for other jobs.
8. Avoid favoritism
Employees notice when you start treating a few team members better than the rest. To solve this problem, treat everyone fairly. Don’t compliment one person 100 percent of the time. Spread the compliments and have similar expectations for everyone.
Conclusion
Make it a priority to learn something new about your employees every week. If you want to boost the organization’s productivity and performance, you need to focus on creating a positive atmosphere in the workplace.
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Image: Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash
