We already know that happier employees are more productive employees and that fostering a happy workplace leads to creativity, innovation, and better service for your customers. What are some ways that you can promote a happier workplace?
Hire happy employees
Don’t hire people based on their level of education or just because they have 20+ years of experience. Naturally happy people will be sure to perform better in the long run. Avoid unhappy people at all costs. The chances of changing an unhappy person into a happy employee are slim.
Hire well rounded employees
People with busy lives, or individuals that participate in their community and other organizations are more likely to contribute to your company’s overall success. Their interactions with other people help shape them and give them knowledge in a variety of topics.
Make room for fun
Provide a relaxed environment where people can express themselves and participate in fun activities spontaneously. Space should be provided where employees are inspired to interact with one another. Make sure you offer a room or area to relax in too! Plan a fun trip once in a while – maybe a baseball game, a cookout, or a trip to the zoo to get away from the endless rows of cubicles and drab office furniture. Provide toys or candy, maybe even free sodas and ice cream – anything to break up the day and let people move around the office a little.
Avoid overworking your people
Forcing Jenny to sit at her computer all day doesn’t mean that she will be productive. Infact, I believe that being tied to your desk stifles creativity. Remember that taking a break from work allows your employees to re-energize and to think. Creativity, innovation and productivity dwindle as burnout sets in.
Be flexible
Do your employees have the opportunity to work on things they enjoy, or are they constantly bombarded with work that they dread? Make sure you allow your employees to work on projects or tasks that give them pleasure and a sense of accomplishment whenever possible. Matching tasks or projects to people’s passions will go a long way in making them happier. Google developed a unique way to cater to this need. They call it “20-percent time”. Basically, Google employees are allowed to work on projects they are passionate about 20% of the time – and this has led to the development of many noteworthy Google applications, including AdSense for Content and Gmail. Read more about Google’s 20-percent time on nytimes.com.
Share ownership
There is nothing like sharing the ownership of your company. When everyone has ownership, they will take responsibility for the success of the company.
Know them
I’m not talking about knowing where Bob sits or what his job title is. Yeh, that’s important, but not nearly as important as sincerely caring about what he likes to do on the weekend, or knowing that he likes direct feedback and praise for his work. Take the time to talk and to listen to your employees and they will reward you by telling you what makes them happy.
