Job satisfaction isn’t just something the US strives for, but a global consideration. Globally, 43% of surveyed people say they derive the most happiness from having a meaningful job or employment.
As a small business owner, one of the responsibilities is to create a supportive workplace. For example, employee surroundings can significantly influence productivity. This is why creating a positive working environment is an excellent way to boost productivity among workers. There are several ways you can do this that you can start implementing immediately.
If you want to increase your staff’s happiness, keep reading. Learn how to create an ideal workspace environment here.
1. Offer Remote Work Days
Since the pandemic began, more companies have offered their employees remote work, which is a great way to boost productivity. When workers can work from home and away from office distractions, they can complete more work at a higher quality level.
Studies have shown that people who work from home are 47% more productive. When staff is happy with their working arrangements, employee satisfaction increases. As a small business owner, you can adjust your company’s overhead costs, saving you money.
2. Listen to Your Staff
In big companies, employees often feel like they’re just a number. If you have a small business, you can circumvent this problem by listening to your employees. When management makes big decisions that affect the whole company, employees can feel ignored or overlooked.
This, in turn, results in workers who feel unmotivated and unhappy. Another great way to boost productivity is to consult your employees when decisions affect the company. Staff who feel listened to will want to work harder for a company that cares.
3. Forge a Positive Company Mission
If your company mission is not one of encouragement and positivity, you cannot expect your employees to be motivated. This can negatively impact the company because unmotivated workers will be less productive than you need them to be.
Gearing your company mission to excite employees allows them to get behind the message and company ethos, which can increase worker happiness. Staff that is enthusiastic about the work they’re doing, they’re more likely to be more productive.
4. A Good Work-Life Balance
A good work-life balance is essential to cultivating motivated and productive workers. A work-life balance means encouraging your employees to prioritize their home life equally with their work life. When employees can satisfy both personal and work commitments, their job satisfaction rate will increase, as will their productivity.
While it might seem counterproductive to encourage your staff to take time off, working your employees until they burn out will do your company more damage. Workers who feel overworked and undervalued will put less effort into work-related tasks. Giving your staff time off to recharge will allow them to bring another level of energy and enthusiasm to their work.
5. Recognize and Reward
Everyone likes to receive a heartfelt “thank you,” and doing this with your employees will go a long way to improving work productivity. Luckily, there are several ways you can do this in your company. For example:
- Set goals and reward achievements
- Train managers to acknowledge staff who do exemplary work
- Organize group accolades where colleagues can recognize each other (for example, check this employee recognition software)
- Take time to make employees feel valued
- Offer company perks for milestones
- Provide regular and constructive feedback on employee performance
These are not the only ways to recognize and reward your employees as a business owner, but they guide you in the right direction. Employees who feel appreciated will likely work harder to keep up with their performance.
6. Flexible Working Hours
Flexible working hours might not be possible for every company, but they are a big way to increase workplace productivity. This advice goes hand in hand with encouraging a healthy work-life balance because flexible hours mean employees can productively manage their time at home and in the office.
Your company can benefit from increased productivity by tapping into your employees’ most productive hours. Some people work better in the morning, while late risers may prefer starting and ending later. When staff can manage daily life and work life, they’re less likely to be stressed. Workers who have less stress in their lives are more productive.
7. Hire Great Candidates
Attempts to boost productivity shouldn’t begin with existing staff but should start at the beginning when hiring new employees. You want to take the time to interview several potential candidates and make your decision while factoring in how well their personalities will blend with the current team.
During the interview process, you can get a feel for how well someone will integrate into the current group of employees. You don’t want to hire someone who is not a team player or doesn’t hold the same values as the existing staff. Hiring a bad fit will only bring down the other employees, hindering progress and productivity.
8. Optimize the Workspace
Finally, we must recognize the office space environment when looking at ways to boost productivity. Planning the office’s physical layout carefully can significantly affect your staff’s productivity. You also want your staff to be comfortable, so ensuring a comfortable workspace can increase productivity.
When staff can personalize their own space, their happiness increases. This means getting your employees’ input on how the company should lay out the office can also benefit your company.
This is because the staff actively use the office so are better equipped to highlight problem areas. For example, setting the printers up in another room won’t help your staff be productive if they must constantly walk back and forth.
Boost Productivity And See Results
Happy employees are productive, so, as a small business owner, ensuring your staff is happy is crucial to boost productivity. This means having an ideal workspace and regularly acknowledging staff who provide exemplary work can help employees feel noticed and valued.
As such, getting the input of all employees when making significant company changes can greatly impact staff happiness.
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