21 Effective Ways to Keep Employees Happy and Productive

We loved this article by the team at LocalWise – original article can be seen here, we just took a few important points that we think will be pertinent to all business owners, regardless of industry or company size.

The key to a successful business means not only focusing on the customers’ needs but ensuring that their employees are well taken care of. Here are a few easy and effective solutions to help keep your employees happy and productive!

1. Recognize their progress

While giving constructive criticism helps guide people in the right direction, it’s great to also point out the good things your employees do. Acknowledge them individually and verbally show to them that you are aware of where they started and where they can possibly go to next.

2. Plan team building activities unrelated to work

While there are different positions in the workforce, it is important to gather the different areas in your business under one umbrella. Plan social gatherings or games for the crew to help build relationships.

3. Trust your employees

Delegate without micromanaging. Once you instill more trust, you both will learn. Start by giving employees more projects and in turn ask for their input on issues or ideas for the company.

4. Offer, don’t assign responsibility

Create a friendly competition amongst the office. This will get employees to step up to the plate and be productive while offering a chance for you to evaluate how others work. You may discover some work better in cooperative teams or as leaders.

5. Make your employees part of the bigger picture

Informing the team is key to running a successful business. In order to have great communication and trust, it’s great to talk about the company’s future and goals for the upcoming months or years. This will make them feel valued and demonstrate to them that their hard work is going towards something great for the company.

6. Prioritize a good work/life balance

As employers and employees, they all share the common aspect of learning to balance good work with a good life. Embrace the importance of work, but also understand the importance of maintaining a healthy life.

7. Be receptive to employee preference

While your business shifts and you notice areas that may need more help, it’s a great time to ask your staff their advice. Ask employees if they’d like to learn something new or improve their skills in a designated area. This helps motivate them to work harder and do the job well.

8. Set clear goals

Make sure to define the company’s goals in which employees can work together towards. While working together as a team permits productivity, it’s also great to hone in on them as individuals and help set personal goals.

9. Celebrate both personal and team milestones

As you set goals and track employees’ progress, it’s nice to take a step back from the work and see what everyone has accomplished. Make sure to celebrate the goals you all accomplished.

10. Encourage breaks

It’s important to work hard but also put value on rest periods. By allowing employees to take a breather, they’ll be more productive and come back to work with a focused mindset.

11. Provide perks (without breaking the bank!)

Make work into a type of game show! By setting up common or individual goals, propose creative employee perks such as free meals, casual dress Friday’s, or concert tickets.

12. Don’t be afraid to switch it up

As the business has a set regular schedule, it helps to add diverse routines throughout the day. Change the order of things or try to come up with a new way of approaching a common task. It doesn’t hurt to do something different!

13. Offer mutual evaluations

Whether you’re the head of the company or an employee, it’s important to have both sides evaluated. By working as a team, you can communicate to one another your concerns and ask for feedback. By doing so, it helps to create a sense of ownership.

14. Support innovation, whether or not it works out

A great way to include your staff in making an impact towards the company as a whole is to allow them to innovate.

Try new methods and test run them together. By allowing this, the whole team can learn what works and what doesn’t. It helps them understand their challenges and encourages growth.

15. Be consistent

In order to let things run smoothly, make sure you’re consistent. While it’s great to connect with team members on a personal and relatable level, it is just as important to act as the boss with everyone.

16. Take an interest in who your employees are

While you may be busy with instructing employees on what to do next, it’s important to get to know them. Understanding employees as individuals is key to understanding what areas they excel in and how you can use those passions in your favour to help your business grow.

17. Provide tools for success

While policy may be the sole focus at first, remember to think of creative solutions. Instead of giving strict guidelines, try to allow problem-solving come into play. Create safe environments for employees to express their thoughts and ideas for the company.

18. Respect staff time

While the needs of your business may shift gears from time to time, it’s important to have a consistent schedule. Implementing scheduling tricks for the weekend shifts, for example, helps show you respect everyone’s time.

19. Don’t keep score

It’s important to not keep track of all of the good and bad results employees have produced. Remaining positive and reassuring a common goal to have everyone work towards is what is most helpful.

20. Allow workplace flexibility

While showing up to work on time and completing all tasks in a timely manner is important to keep a business flowing, it’s also great to show flexibility. If respect is shown at work, employers should respect that their employees have a life outside of work as well.

21. Say “Thank You”

Simply saying the words “Thank You” can go a long way. There is a sense of comfort and recognition that is felt when these words are heard.

Being a business owner in Johannesburg means that you may be doing business with some of the largest corporations in Africa, so we hope that the small and medium businesses in and around Lanseria and Northriding get some great tips from this article. If you happen to be looking for office space, boardrooms or training rooms in the Randburg area, book a tour with us soon so we can secure you a spot in our brand new office space.