As an employer, it’s your duty to make the working environment as friendly and productive as possible each and every day. Employees spend a lot of their lives in the office each week, and because of this, they need to have a space that is comfortable and feels like a home. Let’s look at some of the ways you can create a happy workplace for your team.
Don’t be Big Brother
The worst thing you can do as an employer is make your staff feel like they are being watched. It can be incredibly stressful when we constantly feel like someone is looking over our shoulders. This can lead to reduced productivity and low morale. As a boss, you need to trust your staff and show them you trust in their ability and work. This means not constantly counting the minutes when an employee heads out for a break and being flexible with work schedules. If you show your employees you trust them, they will work harder for you and reward your trust.
Have a kitchen or dining area
When it comes to creating a happy workplace for you and your employees, some minor factors can make a difference. To make the office feel more like home, have a kitchen or dining area for them to use. You can have a toaster, coffee pot, microwave, refrigerator, and even an oven if you have space. In planning your dining area, don’t forget to include services like pest control to keep unwanted guests away. Find a reliable, affordable company like this Wisconsin-based company – https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/wisconsin/. But, if you can’t provide a kitchen and dining area, perhaps you can establish a relationship with a local cafe that will offer employees discounts.
Have a break room
It is always important to consider your staff will go through rough days now and again. If you want to make sure that you are creating a healthy work environment for your employees, you will want to create an area where they can go when they need a little space. This could be somewhere with a TV, a few beanbag chairs, or maybe a few books to read. You can also consider having a meditation room. Having a break room will allow your stressed-out workers to find peace for a few minutes when they need it. It will, in turn, make your employees feel much happier and more relaxed.
Light it up
I’m not talking about cigarettes here but the actual light in the room. Get rid of the dull lighting and brighten the space up. Replace the light bulbs and open the windows, and the office will feel more alive. Light has a significant effect on the brain, and when it’s natural light from outside, we feel much more productive and ready to work. The addition of some extra natural or artificial light can make all the difference and stop employees from feeling drowsy during the day.
Bring games into the space
Games can be a great addition to any workplace. It can energize your staff and stimulate creativity. Depending on the space you have available, you have many options to consider. You could have a chessboard, checkers or some cards. You can have tabletop tennis or even bring in a PS4 to play tournaments as a team and win prizes throughout the year. These ideas will make your workplace feel more comfortable and incorporate some fun into the environment.
Encourage hobbies
Hobbies are a huge part of a lot of your employees’ lives. You can show you care and establish trust by taking an interest in more than their work projects. Think about encouraging musicians to bring an instrument in and play, encourage artists to create art for the walls, and encourage sporty people to come and teach their sport to the office. These activities are great for team building and strengthening the team. Making your office environment feel more like a friendship is an asset that will significantly impact your workers.
Go out to lunch as a team
When we think about how to motivate employees, we know small things can go a long way. If you have a little time to spare at the end of the week, why not invite your team out for lunch. You can go somewhere close, unwind and spend time catching up. Getting to know your employees in a relaxed setting can bring you all much closer together as a team. It’s a nice change of pace, and it can help refresh everyone for the afternoon ahead.
These are just a few ideas of ways you can create a happy workplace. It would be best always to remember to treat your staff as people, not robots. Doing a few things that can make the work environment a place they want to come will be well worth the investment.
In what ways do you create an environment where your employees enjoy coming to work? Please share your ideas in the comments so we can learn from you. Here’s to YOUR success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Leadership, and Life Coach. She is the Chairwoman and CEO of Infinity Coaching, Inc., where they help you up-level your skills to up-level your income. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, personality assessments, and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Carolyn is certified to give the Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can find out more about assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
