How to Keep Your Employees Happy

There have been seemingly never-ending stories about industrial action and strikes this year. With the cost of living going up and people finding it harder to enjoy the lives they want to live, it is not surprising that businesses have suffered. But even though this may cause frustration on the other side of the negotiating table, there has to be a sense of understanding.

Pay rises are not always possible but keeping a workforce happy in the first place can avert industrial action and ultimately improve business performance and profit. People find happiness in a variety of ways, such as eating out, drinking with friends, or visiting online betting sites. But when that person is an employee there are also work-related practices that can keep happiness levels high.

Communicate the Big Picture

Many of the ways to keep employees happy we are covering here may seem obvious. But it is always surprising how many times businesses forget to do the simple things to make life for everyone better. Keeping lines of communication - in both directions - is one of those.

These conversations should be had in a number of different ways, depending on the subject matter. Individual one-to-ones, group sessions, and company-wide meetings are all necessary. This way you can get over the wider picture and explain why things are happening, not just what is expected to happen.

Work-Life Balances

There is an old-school way of thinking that attempts to get as much out of a workforce as possible in order for everyone to reap the rewards. Although it is still important to keep employees productive, of course, there should be a realization that they have a life outside 'the job'.

In fact, if you are prioritizing a healthy work-life balance as a way of being a happier, more productive business, then employees will cease to regard their work as just a job and become more involved in the bigger picture. Encouraging vacation days, mental health breaks, and other outside of work activities will help employees feel as though they have a good balance in their life.

Appreciate

One element that seems to be missing in many of the current industrial disputes is a notion that employees feel appreciated. Monetary rewards are obviously always appreciated - but when that is not possible, there are other ways that can make employees feel as though the company is grateful for their contribution.

Frequent and immediate praise and recognition go a long way and are things that take little effort. The rewards the business reaps for these acts of appreciation can make a lot of difference. Employee of the month awards are all well and good but a simple "well done" when a task is completed can sometimes be more important.

Make and Maintain Relationships

In a way, all of the actions here are about making and maintaining relationships. If an employee feels as though they are part of something bigger, there is more chance that they will feel as though they want to make things better. Engaging the workforce will help them share the passion for success.

But it is important that any company treats employees as individuals when making these relationships. Grouping everyone as one homogenous working blob will not encourage discourse or engagement. There will be differences of opinion and a good business recognizes and gets involved with their employees.

Set an Example

There is no point in implementing all the actions we have already covered here if the person - or people - at the top are not providing a positive example and following their own edicts. Good leadership comes with fostering a sense that everyone is in it together and success can be attained - and shared - by everyone.

The office culture should be set from the top down, allowing employees to recognize that everyone adheres to any rules. Anything you can do to make your employees happier will help your business flourish - and avoid any chance of future industrial action.