Many businesses, and rightly so, put a heavy emphasis on customer satisfaction. Sometimes they focus too much on customers; they forget about there most important asset – their employees. Employee satisfaction is something that all employers should work on if they want to ensure their employees stay with them for as long as possible.
Nobody wants to work in a frosty atmosphere where they don’t feel appreciated. If you’re not working on ways to increase employee satisfaction, that’s what your workplace could be to the people who work for you. When employee satisfaction is high, employees are happier to show up at work each day. They like coming to work, sing your praises, and retention will improve. Below, you’ll find some foolproof ways to increase employee satisfaction fast.
Flexible Working Days and Hours
Start by rethinking the way you allocate working days and hours. Allowing flexibility is something many employees admit they would like when asked. The idea of 9-5, Monday to Friday, is quite outdated and old fashioned now. As long as your team is getting the work done, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Get To Know Them and Take An Interest
Don’t be a faceless business owner hiding in the office all day. Please get to know your team and take an interest in them. It would be best if you kept it professional, but there’s no reason you can’t be kind and friendly with them. Remember things about them and ask them later. It’ll make them smile, and they will know you care.
Let Them Know That You Appreciate Them
It can be hard to let people know how much you appreciate them, but one of the biggest reasons for employee unhappiness in the workplace is feeling unappreciated. Find ways to let them know both individually and as a team. It’ll mean a lot to them, and it can cost nothing to do. Praise them for their efforts, give them time off, and throw a surprise pizza party are a few things you can consider.
Give Them Gifts
Finding corporate gifts for employees and giving them to them at special times of the year could be a nice incentive. For example, gifts for longevity, birthdays, company achievements are all reasons to celebrate. Be sure to keep the gifts unique to the business but professional as well. If you have employees working from home, you can share the accomplishment in an email or video and send the gifts to them. They will appreciate you taking the extra steps for them.
Provide Bonuses For Hard Work
Don’t hesitate to provide bonuses for hard work. You can give them extra days off or monetary rewards. You can take them to lunch or dinner or give them a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Use your creativity to come up with some great bonuses.
Invest In Their Futures
Offer educational programs that can enhance their careers. You can allow employees to take classes during working hours or offer financial incentives for completing their degrees. You can also create programs where the company provides tuition assistance.
Try Not To Micromanage
Show your team you trust them by giving them space and freedom to get the job done. Trust that they can arrange and plan their own days’ work in a way that suits them and makes it easier for them to complete assigned tasks. Employees can become very uncomfortable when their boss is breathing down their necks..
Ask For Feedback
Often you will not know what your employees are thinking. They may feel that they don’t have a voice and can’t express their discontent with a process or program. To avoid this and to keep employee satisfaction high, ask for feedback. Some team members may be too timid to speak up, and in those cases, you can ask for anonymous feedback. Take time to review the feedback you receive, get clarification as needed, and take action or whatever you can. Remember, do not take any of it personally. Use the information to create improvements for yourself and the team.
Your employees are your number one asset and more valuable then you can imagine. Keeping employee satisfaction high will prove beneficial for your company now and in the future. If you are looking for other tips and strategies to improve your team’s morale, send me an email at cowens@infinitycoaching.net, and we will explore the possibilities. Here’s to YOUR success!
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Executive, and Leadership Coach. She is the President of Infinity Coaching, Inc., where she can help you up-level your skills so that you can up-level your income, career, business, or life. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides organizational training and one-on-one and group coaching. She is also the host of “Let’s Coach with Carolyn.” You can listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you enjoy listening to podcasts.
