What job role did you feel the happiest in? Think about what made it so satisfying. Was it the money, the people you worked with, the job you did, or some other factor? Employee happiness is so important because it reflects the company culture.
How to Improve Employee Satisfaction
Despite its overall importance, money is not the top factor for employee satisfaction. Money can’t buy things like passion for your job, or feeling like a valued member of a team. [bctt tweet=”Unhappy #employees can signal a bigger problem than a simple matter of morale.” username=”ensteptech”] Here are some other solutions to make your employees happy, and more likely to stick around:
1) Offer Flexibility
If you’ve ever sat in morning traffic, then you know how draining and frustrating commuting can be. Offering employees the flexibility to work from home, or adjust their schedules to avoid traffic can relieve a huge burden for them. With the ease of cloud computing and teleconferencing, there is more room for flexibility in business than ever before.
2) Encourage Growth
Create an atmosphere of growth by providing training, acknowledging accomplishments, and setting goals to motivate your employees. You should also encourage employees to attend training seminars and courses, and learn new skills. If employees are never able to take on new responsibilities or reach greater heights, they’ll become bored and dissatisfied.
3) Promote Health
Employees that sit for long periods of time can develop a host of physical ailments, from carpal tunnel to back problems. This kind of stress plays a direct role in employee satisfaction. You can combat these issues by encouraging employees to take a lunch break, a yoga class or a brisque afternoon walk. Anything they need to get up and stay active should be encouraged. A healthy employee will require fewer sick days and will be more productive overall.
4) Train Management
As a business owner, it’s easy to lose perspective on the day to day operations of your employees. If you see high turnover with new employees, the problem may be your management staff. Did they gain their position because of seniority or merit? Not every long-term employee has what it takes to effectively lead others. Make sure to take an active role in the training and supervision of your management, to ensure that they’re doing their job well and in a way that encourages new employees.
5) Keep Your Word
If your word has no value with your employees, then they have no incentive to do what you ask of them. For example, if you promise a flexible summer schedule for employees but change your mind at the last minute, that one decision has the power to shape your employee’s perception of you. Do you think they’ll work as hard in the summer now? Even if your reasoning was sound, you shouldn’t promise things you can’t deliver.
Part of a Team
Employees that feel heard and appreciated can forgive many employer shortcomings. Even if you can’t offer top dollar, if you can offer flexibility and a positive work environment, your employees will be happier.
Contact Us to find out if a flexible or remote work schedule is within reach for your employees.
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