5 Tips to Make the Workplace More Enjoyable and Productive

Companies that follow “work hard, party even harder” benefit from increased employee productivity. After all, happiness has a direct correlation with productivity and business growth. Having a happy work environment boosts employees’ morale, which ultimately results in the growth of your business. Whether you own a small business or manage a large department, creating a culture in which people are motivated to deliver the best is worth your time and energy. Research has shown that happy employees can be more creative, productive, and innovative.

As you know, COVID-19 has completely transformed the world of work. Keeping employees happy and productive is more important than ever before. Employees who feel content at their workplace are more likely to enjoy their work. Therefore, employee happiness is one of the major factors in driving success for your organization. When workers feel unmotivated or unhappy, turnover increases, but productivity decreases.

Why is employee happiness so important?

The success of any business depends not only on customers but also on employees. If they are happy, they will work with full determination, giving the best results to the company. The sense of satisfaction helps in reducing stress, which positively affects productivity.

• Happy and motivated employees are less likely to quit. Unhappy employees often leave their jobs for better positions or work culture. 
• If an employee is happy, they will make other employees happy too. Happiness is infectious, and it will circulate throughout your company. It will also enhance overall bonding amongst the team. 
• When employees have less anxiety or fear, they tend to make better decisions at work. Employee morale is an important factor that impacts their decisions at the workplace. 
• Employees with better attitudes and mindsets will pay more attention to their customers. In that way, customer satisfaction will improve.

Ways to make your team happy

It can be challenging to find ways to keep your employees happy and empowered. Just handing out promotions to keep them happy in the workplace is not enough. There are many ways to develop a comfortable and motivating environment in your team. We have laid out some tips in this blog that will help to elevate the happiness of your employees.

1. Have a meaningful conversation

Communication is the key to happiness, and managers should regularly have conversations with their teams. Many managers don’t practice this because they think this would be crossing the line into an unprofessional area. Although maintaining professionalism is important,  taking a genuine interest in your employees should be a no-brainer. People need the confidence to open up to their teams, and managers should encourage them.

Furthermore, in many organizations, managers make decisions without involving the team members in the process. Try to involve your workers if you are making any decision that will affect the whole team. Employees should not feel left out as it tends to cause a lack of motivation and overall unhappiness.

• Listen to your employees, and remind them that they are an integral part of the organization. 
• Take their feedback before implementing any new idea. 
• Work on team bonding by planning a team outing or hosting some fun activities occasionally. 
• Greet your team in the morning with a big smile.
• Visit the team periodically to see how they are doing.

2. Prioritize work-life balance

The concept of work-life balance has become extremely important after the coronavirus pandemic. It has become a priority for many offices. The work-life balance of individuals plays a big role in driving happiness at their work. Your employees need to know that you understand they have a life outside of the office, too, and that you respect that.

Work-life balance is simply managing time spent both outside of work and at work. In other words, it allows people to be flexible between work commitments and personal commitments. Many employees feel stressed at work due to the lack of work-life balance. Some factors that contribute to stress at work are-

• More overtime hours
• Longer working days
• Too much pressure
• No time for personal commitments

So how could you instill a better work-life balance at your workplace? This is a small change that can make a big difference. Use the following tips for encouraging a better work-life balance at your company.

• Measure employee performance through projects they have completed instead of time spent in the organization. 
• Offer your employees flexible working options like working from home on some days so they can spend enough time with their families as well. You can use video conferencing to interact with your employees. If you are an HR professional, then you can stay connected with your team through video screening software. Check out your team’s feedback about a candidate on the software.
• Take regular feedback from your team and know how they feel working at your company.

You can ensure happiness at your workplace with these given tips.

3. Nurture employees’ appreciation

Gestures of appreciation can work like magic in bringing happiness to your company. As they say, thank you is a small word, but its impact is huge. Recognizing the hard work of employees plays a significant role in making them feel empowered and motivated. According to a Walden University study, increasing the number of recognition awards has a great impact, resulting in a 27% decrease in absenteeism, a 24% hike in productivity, and a 10 % reduction in shrinkage.

Employees feel valued and comforted when leaders praise them for their hard work. There are many ways you can show appreciation towards your team and bring a smile to employees’ faces. Here are some methods to praise your team members.

• Distribute prizes at the company’s celebration. 
• Hand out a reward if an employee has completed the project before or within the given time limit. 
• Give positive feedback to deserving employees. Keep in mind that some words of appreciation mean much more than material rewards for employees. 
• Offer an extra bonus to employees who have worked really hard to achieve a goal. 
• Adopt the peer recognition program.

These simple tips can help you improve your workplace.

4. Make your office space attractive

The overall office environment has a more significant impact on employees’ contentment than managers may expect. From live plants to office furniture, the physical environment should be designed to serve your workforce and its requirements. Conduct regular surveys, and interact with employees to find out what changes they are looking for in the office space.

Additionally, you can work on the bulletin board. Make it attractive by adding some pictures of your office staff. Ask your employees to share some notes on the board. Make a separate employee spotlight section on the board. Some other things that can make your office more attractive are-

• One of the most important things is comfortable chairs. An employee has to sit on the same chair for 8 to 9 hours, and it should be comfortable enough for that. 
• Give your office space a natural feel with some live, green plants. 
• Large windows should be in the office with curtains, which employees can control according to their comfort. 
• Offer both individual and collaborative workspace, and allow employees to pick the one as per their preferences. 
• Opt for some motivational wordings on the walls of the office instead of plain paint.

5. Offer exclusive benefits

Who doesn’t like to get benefits at their workplace? It is the best way to keep employees satisfied and motivated. When employees feel they are valued, they are likely to deliver more than 100%. If companies don’t want to spend extra money on this, then they can offer cost-effective benefits as well, such as birthdays off, extra maternity leaves, etc. Furthermore, you can communicate with your team before building a comprehensive benefits package. Ask for their expectations, and proceed accordingly.

Ensure to keep even the smallest needs of employees in mind while designing the package. When they get the benefit they desire, and a happy work environment. It boosts their morale, and they work even harder. Some benefits that you can offer to your employees are-

• Health and wellness benefits are the top-most choices of employees. 
• Offer paid medical leave to your employees. 
• Flexible working options are another cost-effective benefit and one of the most trending also. Employees deliver better work when they work from their comfort place. 
• Offer financial incentives to employees who have performed really well in the previous year. 
• Conduct a reward program, and give recognition awards to well-deserving employees. 
• Do something special on an employee’s birthday.

Summing it up

Fun and work don’t always go together, but it is essential to bring them together in today’s day and age. The Best employees at the workplace have a direct link with happiness. Therefore, it is necessary to work on team happiness. If you wish to get the best results from your employees, use the mentioned tips to develop a comfortable work environment. With these innovative ways, you can build rapport, foster team-building, and contribute to an enjoyable working environment.

Additional Reading: Positive Environmental Impact of Virtual Hirings

FAQs

Why is employee happiness important for productivity?

Employee happiness is crucial because it directly correlates with increased productivity and business growth. Happy employees tend to be more creative, productive, and innovative. They are also less likely to leave their jobs, reducing turnover and increasing overall company stability.

How has COVID-19 affected workplace dynamics?

COVID-19 has transformed the world of work, making it more important than ever to keep employees happy and productive. With many employees working remotely, maintaining a positive work environment and ensuring a healthy work-life balance has become a top priority.

How can managers create a happier work environment?

Managers can create a happier work environment by:

• Having meaningful conversations with employees.
• Prioritizing work-life balance.
• Nurturing employee appreciation.
• Making the office space attractive.
• Offering exclusive benefits.

What are effective ways to show employee appreciation?

Effective ways to show appreciation include:

• Distributing prizes at company celebrations.
• Rewarding employees for completing projects on time.
• Giving positive feedback and extra bonuses.
• Implementing peer recognition programs.