Employee happiness and satisfaction is a key performance indicator of business success. An employee with the right attitude and drive can mean the difference between a business that is barely getting by and one that is thriving. The bottom line is this…when employees are happy in the workplace they perform their duties well and they are more likely to stay at their job. Job retention and high performance are critical to the success of any business which is why it is so important for managers to focus on employee morale. You can never underestimate the effect of employee morale on your business so consider these tips on how you can improve it.
Make Employees Feel Valued
Everyone wants to feel like they are appreciated and the work they do is valuable. So, as a manager, when you acknowledge the hard work of your employees it can go a long way in securing their dedication to the team and improving their future performance. When employees feel valued, they want to work hard and do their best so it is important for managers to recognize them. Simple things like a “thank-you,” some kind of award or recognition, or even an email thanking them for their work can help to boost employee morale.
Offer Feedback and Support
Employees want to feel like you have a vested interest in them so it’s important to spend time with them, providing support and feedback. When you make yourself available to employees and let them know how much their performance means to the team, this can have a positive impact on their morale. Furthermore, your employees are less likely to feel frustrated and abandoned when you make it a point to check in with them on a regular basis.
Take a Genuine Interest in Their Lives and Well-Being
No one is saying that managers need to become best buds with their employees, but it can really make a difference when managers make it a point to acknowledge things that are important in their employees’ lives. Ask about their children from time to time, congratulate them on things like a wedding or birth of a child, recognize birthdays, be empathetic when they have to miss work for an illness and be understanding when they are experiencing difficulty in their personal life. All of these things are extremely important in developing mutual respect with employees and it’s this genuine interest and empathy that makes employees stay at their jobs and work harder for their manager.
Have a Little Fun From Time to Time
There is no doubt that managers need to be focused on producing results but there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun every now and then. In fact, this downtime can be beneficial for recharging employees and getting them refreshed and ready for new challenges. A few ideas for making the workplace fun include casual dress days, catering lunch once in a while, taking an afternoon off for team building activities, or creating some kind of friendly competition in the workplace. We are all human and everyone enjoys a little fun. When employees are in a good mood and having fun, they will have higher job satisfaction and will perform better for the company.