It’s not enough that you have partnered with the best suppliers for your food business. Or that you landed the most rewarding deal with a contract manufacturer for your cosmetics business. Or that your consulting firm’s marketing team has been able to pinpoint a surefire way to penetrate a particular market segment. Regardless of your industry, these achievements will be overshadowed if your team wears a frown on their faces while at work.
The Importance of Happy Employees
They say happy employees make happy customers. That’s a simple adage that makes absolute sense. Consider this scenario for example. You have front liners dissatisfied with their jobs. They wear no more than poker faces day in and day out. The clients that walk into your shop come in feeling excited and walk out feeling shortchanged because they did not get the customer service they feel they deserve.
The same goes for your employees in the production line. You probably have a couple who feel like they’re in a dead-end job. They can’t wait for when their shift’s over and to clock out. They might forget putting a few parts into the products they assemble. This will lead to a customer opening what they purchased and frowning upon realizing they’ve been given a substandard product with missing elements.
Both scenarios won’t look good on your business. And they are perfectly avoidable too. All you need to do is to take care of your employees better. Make them feel that they are valued, their work, appreciated. Here’s how you can make your staff members feeling happy and satisfied.
Inspire a Culture of Open Communication
In high-stress environments, it can’t be helped for two colleagues to butt heads. This is where a culture of open communication comes in handy. Disagreements should not be curbed because they are part and parcel of collaboration. But they should always be resolved at the end of the day. And that can only be done if everyone involved operates within the context of open and free communication.
Otherwise, these unsolved disagreements will fester. What should have been a professional issue becomes personal. And soon the rest of your office will be mired in toxic culture.
Encourage Work-Life Balance
Know that your employees have a life outside their job. They have their family or significant others to devote time to. They have passions and hobbies they need to pursue. Respect that. Let your employees know you want them to have the full life they deserve.
Do not be the kind of manager who favors the subordinate who stays at work later than everyone else. You do not want to come off as someone who regards chronic unpaid overtime as a barometer for promotability.
Provide Competitive Remuneration Packages
Do not take pride in providing your employees with remuneration packages that are within industry standards. That is most true if you know you have the resources to do better. You cannot say that you support and encourage your staff’s work-life balance if the salary and benefits you provide them can only cover their basic needs.
So go beyond what’s acceptable and fair. Surprise your employees by giving them salaries that’ll make them feel dignified and inspired to work harder. In the end, it’s your business that’ll profit from your employees going out of their way to perform at their best.
Make Employees’ Career Growth a Priority
One of the most common reasons why employees feel burnout is because they do not see any clear career path in their current job. Maybe they have been assigned the same post for the past decade and still not sure what’s next in line for them. This is where training and development programs come in.
You should have a clear career growth plan for each member of your staff. And your staff should be aware of it. This plan should guide them through how they do their job and guide you on how to assess their performance.
Offer Job Perks and Privileges
Did you exceed your profit goals in the last quarter? Why not celebrate the milestone by throwing a big party for the entire office? Prepare games and give away awesome prizes. Serve good food and unlimited booze. Make your employees feel like they are part of something fun and great.
Employee turnover costs employers at least 33 percent of an employee’s salary per annum. And it’s a direct consequence of employees feeling unhappy and dissatisfied with their jobs. Instead of investing in perpetual recruitment, why not invest in the fulfillment and well-being of your current employees? That’s the smarter way to spend your resources.
