Treating your employees well goes beyond giving them a good salary and benefits. To maximize productivity and satisfaction, employees also need a positive working environment that helps them thrive. But how can business owners ensure that employees are satisfied?
Well, there are several ways to improve the workspace environment. Even some minor changes can make a massive difference in the well-being of your employees.
Make employees feel secure in the workplace and online
Security measures are not something employees look for in job postings. However, how secure people feel in the workspace subconsciously impacts their attitude and performance. The level and type of security needed depend on the work setting. If employees are doing a physical job, they need adequate protective equipment to feel safe.
In an office setting, employees need basic physical security measures and online security tools. One tool you can install is secure password management software. This will eliminate the worry of employees having to remember complex passwords. It also significantly reduces the chance of credential sniffing, which gives them peace of mind.
Hire cleaning staff
A clean working environment greatly affects how employees feel and perform. Unless the office building provides additional cleaning, you may need to hire cleaning contractors for your space. Cleaning is essential and should be done every day. Having a freshly cleaned office to come to will certainly increase the mood of employees.
Offer growth opportunities
Feeling stuck in their career is one of the most common complaints employees have. It feels demoralizing and can alienate an individual from the company and co-workers. To avoid this common mistake, your company must promote career growth by offering employees new opportunities and position changes.
You or your managers need to communicate with everyone in the company constantly. And the discussions shouldn’t be just about performance. Ask your employees how they feel in their roles. Are they satisfied? Do they want to take a different career path? Simply asking these things will eliminate so much stress for employees, as they will know that they can grow within the company, take the path they want for their careers, and not feel bad about it.
Offer flexible work arrangements
Despite pushback from major corporations, the five-time office workweek is becoming less popular. Employees are now prioritizing positions that offer flexibility, such as working from home. You don’t have to go fully remote, although many companies are already doing that. But you can at least offer a hybrid schedule, where workers can choose two or three days to work from home.
Additionally, make sure employees feel comfortable requesting days off. Unless you remind them or lead by example by taking days off yourself, employees may feel pressured to stay at work and never take advantage of their vacation time.
While that doesn’t sound bad for business, it decreases productivity and employee satisfaction. Employees need to feel energized to perform their best. Recharging with a few days away from work can make a huge difference.
Provide applications that make work easier
As much as employees feel threatened by emerging technologies, they depend on them to be more effective at work. So many types of apps can be helpful in a work environment.
One type of app that makes work easier is a workspace management app. An app like this can make it effortless for team members to communicate, collaborate, track tasks and projects, and manage their schedules. For example, Flanco offers easy navigation around the office, like booking meeting rooms when the office has limited space. All these features in a single app will make life so much easier.
Another type of application that’s gained ground recently is ergonomic apps. These apps help users maintain healthy work habits by reminding them to take breaks, adjust their posture, and reduce eye strain.
Foster a positive work culture
You often hear CEOs talk about culture, but what exactly is it? And how do you develop a positive culture? Work culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, behaviors, and practices that characterize an organization and its employees.
Fostering a positive work culture requires a deliberate and consistent effort from everyone in the organization, particularly from management. You must clearly define your values and mission, aligning with company goals. Reinforce them regularly so they become ingrained into how employees approach their work.
As a leader, you also must lead by example. Display how you practice these values and the company’s mission. Demonstrate kindness, integrity, and respect in your interactions with everyone.
Make sure your workplace is illuminated correctly
It’s no secret that the amount of light we’re exposed to can make or break our day. Gloomy and dark spaces can kill the mood and negatively impact productivity.
Having natural light is ideal, and you should maximize the natural light potential of the workspace. Additionally, you should install quality lighting throughout the working areas. LED lights are good at imitating natural light, making them a solid alternative in more closed-off spaces.
Provide comfortable furniture
Employees can spend over 8 hours per day in the office. They deserve comfortable chairs and desks to avoid injuries and back problems. If you’re a hybrid or remote company, ensure that employees have everything they need at home to work comfortably.
Apart from the regular stuff you’d find in an office, you can provide additional entertainment areas that give employees a comfortable space to relax and unwind.
Organize happy hours and other events
If all everyone talks about in the company is work, it will be difficult to form personal relationships beyond the workspace. And what better way to develop personal relationships than a company-wide event? Organize happy hours, lunch days, and other creative events to encourage employees to get together.
Connecting with co-workers in this way will improve collaboration and have a positive business impact. But it will also improve the mood of employees, and they will be far more eager to participate in discussions and take the initiative.
Final thoughts
Working in a positive environment can do wonders for one’s mood, productivity, and happiness. There are so many ways to improve the workspace environment. Every little improvement is necessary and makes a difference.
Remember that you’re not making these changes for your own benefit. While a positive environment will yield positive business performance, it’s best to look at things from the employee’s perspective. Ask yourself, “What does an employee need to feel fulfilled and satisfied at work?” Ponder this question regularly and communicate directly with employees – it will give you all the answers you need.