Did you know that, just in the United States, a reported 85% of people hate going to work each day? If you own a business, employee satisfaction should be one of your top priorities.
So, how can you go about boosting employee morale? And what are some things that you can do to show your team members that you see and appreciate them working so hard?
In this article, we’ll tell you about 7 things that you can do to boost employee morale. That way you can pick a few of them and apply them to your business, making everyone at your office much happier to come to work each day.
Table of Contents
Pay Your Employees Well
Let’s be honest. While there are tons of things that you can do to keep employees happy, most of them won’t matter if your team members feel like they aren’t being paid fairly. As upper management, we recommend that you take things a step further, too, and pay your employees a bit more than what is considered fair.
By doing this, you remove any issues that could come due to the number at the bottom of their paychecks. You also show them how much you value their contributions to the team, which of course is a good thing.
Offer Good-to-Great Benefits
For smaller businesses, offering good-to-great benefits can be tough. After all, those benefits cost money, which can be hard to fit into your budget if you’re a smaller business with only a few employees.
But, if you can manage to swing it, strong pay, combined with good benefits, is a big key to employee happiness. So, if you aren’t already doing so, look into adding more benefits for your team members soon.
Create Personal Relationships
Of course, solid pay and a 401k aren’t the only things you can do to show your employees how much you care. In fact, creating personal relationships with your employees is not only effective, but it’s arguably the easiest thing to do on this list.
We’ll be honest. To do this successfully, you actually have to create personal relationships with your team members. Trying to force or fake it won’t work, as your employees will see right through your intentions.
But if you can manage to establish some genuine relationships, you can make coming to work everyday much more enjoyable for everyone. On top of that, your team members will be more productive and reliable, which is an added bonus.
Create a Strong Office Layout
Do all of your employees work together under one roof? If the answer is yes, we recommend that you focus heavily on your office layout.
A strong, open office floor plan will make working together and engaging with one another more enjoyable. That, combined with things like natural light and bright decor, will help you create a working environment that your team will thrive in.
The best part? If your office isn’t already like this, it’s a good excuse to change things up and redecorate. That alone can make coming into work feel new and exciting again for so many of your team members.
Hang Out Away From the Office
Even if your office layout is perfect, sometimes it’s good to get away so everyone can get a break from the same working environment. Doing things like having outdoor meetings at a local park, or going out for a company lunch, are a great way to get out of the office while still spending quality time together with your team.
A pro tip? Try to find one or two days a month where you can get outside the office with your employees. Doing things that aren’t work-related, like bowling or laser tag, can be a great way to build some better team chemistry as well.
Celebrate All Victories Together
Every day someone on your team does something that is worth recognizing out loud in front of everyone. Sure, not all of those accomplishments are game-changing accomplishments that take the company to a new level.
But no victory is too small to acknowledge, which is what we recommend you try to do daily.
Our advice? Have morning meetings with your team where you acknowledge some of the wins from the previous day. That way you’re not only starting off the day on a positive note, but you’re encouraging people to do their best each day, which is a huge positive.
Be Flexible and Understanding
It’s important to remember that your employees are real people with their own unique lives and problems. So, no matter how much they enjoy coming to work each day, things are going to pop up from time to time.
When those moments come up, try to be flexible and understanding. Your employees will appreciate it, and you’ll be making a positive impression on them at that moment, too.
If you notice team members struggling in certain areas, try to help them out by getting them some training. And if you yourself are still struggling with communicating with your team members, this training could be quite helpful to you.
Still Need Help Boosting Employee Morale?
Remember, boosting employee morale is as simple as treating your employees well and showing them that you care about them in a few different ways. No matter how small your business is, or what your budget is like, you should be able to do a few of these things on this list and create a better working environment.
Looking for more ways you can take your business to the next level? Check back with our blog often!