With rising energy bills and the increasing demands of modern life, the remainder of 2022 is shaping up to be a difficult time for employees and managers alike. That’s why in this article, we’ll explore:
- Signs your employees are suffering
- The benefits of a positive workplace attitude
- Simple ways to boost staff morale & wellbeing
Ready to help your staff stay healthy and happy? Keep reading and we’ll show you how…
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Signs your employees need help
It’s unreasonable to expect that your workplace will be a happy and positive environment 100% of the time, but there are some common telltale signs which can indicate a deeper problem. Here are some signs that your employees are suffering at work:
- Increased employee absence
- Formation of cliques or small groups
- Negativity, gossip and conflict
- Lack of motivation and initiative
- Poor performance
If you notice that your staff are missing deadlines, struggling to communicate or gossiping due to a lack of communication, it’s time to act to prevent it from getting worse.
Benefits of a happy workplace
A negative working environment can have a detrimental effect on your business, from missed deadlines resulting in unhappy clients or stressed staff leading to increased absences.
But when a workplace is thriving, your business will be too. Happy staff are far more likely to find that creativity and productivity flow, as does the will to contribute toward the success of the business.
On a personal level, your team will show reduced stress levels and enjoy a sense of achievement, wellbeing and purpose. Productive employees can also lead to lower operating costs meaning your business achieves a far better bottom line.
How to boost employee morale & wellbeing
- Have regular one-on-one meetings
Having consistent meetings not only helps to boost their morale and sense of wellbeing, but they also help to build a vital sense of trust, safety and security with your staff. To make your one-to-ones as successful as possible, you need to prioritise the structure and regularity of the meetings.
Make sure each of your regular check-ins touch on relevant points that matter to both your employee and your business. These chats should be a two-way street which provide a safe space for all concerns to be raised, whether it’s pain points at work, career progression or personal issues.
- Be transparent and open
Nothing makes employees feel worse than the sense that they’re divided, alone or in the dark when it comes to business matters. And if you want honesty and transparency from your team, you’ll be expected to provide the same in return.
By being transparent and open, you’ll help to create a culture where your staff feel safe coming to you with troubles or concerns. Not only does this mean you can intervene early on, but your employees won’t feel like they have to bottle up their worries leading to further stress at work.
- Host regular team events
A large part of having a healthy and happy company culture comes down to the way employees feel about their relationships with each other. Hosting regular team events is a great option to help build trust and team bonding long-term. Some event ideas include:
- Team sports day
- Trivia, quiz or games night
- Dinner or drinks
- Daily huddle sessions
- Escape rooms
- Volunteering
- Baking competitions
- Creative challenges
Even if your staff work in hybrid or remote positions, you can still host events that cater for everyone. Just ensure it is accessible, whether meeting up at a mutually convenient location or hosting a quiz night via Zoom.
- Keep technology up to date
Whether your staff are home-based or not, it’s vital to ensure they all have the tools they need to do their job without frustration. And in the modern age, that means laptops that aren’t slow, software subscriptions that help streamline their workflow and accessories that work.
Not only will taking the frustration out of your employee’s day increase their productivity, but it will let them know that their happiness is a priority and that you’re willing to invest in their success.
- Improve the office environment
A drab and dreary office can be a serious motivation and mood zapper. There is also plenty of research detailing the link between getting enough sunlight and overall levels of happiness. So if you want happy, healthy and motivated staff, show them you care by keeping their office in great condition.
Ways to do this include:
- Ensuring proper storage solutions
- Preventing the build-up of mess and clutter
- Keeping furniture maintained and up to date
- Regular cleaning of windows to boost natural light
- Hiring a regular office cleaner
- Keeping washrooms clean & stocked up
- Provide drinks, snacks and breakroom supplies
If you’re not sure where to start, why not send your employees a poll to find out what their pain points are in the office and where things could be improved?
- Offer wellness benefits
When it comes to mental wellbeing, it’s important that your staff feel adequately supported by your organisation. And whilst you can’t always offer the correct support alone, you can ensure that your team has fast and easy access to the professional assistance they need.
If you’re looking to boost morale and wellness, now is the perfect time to analyse your health packages to see if they offer the right level of support. You can also add wellness to your benefits package, by offering perks such as counselling, yoga retreats or mental health days off.
- Encourage growth & development
Career stagnation not only leads to unhappy employees, but it can seriously affect your bottom line when staff turnover is high, or motivation is in short supply. Let’s be realistic – the majority of your employees will see their position as one in many points in their career, and if you want to retain talent, you’ll need to champion their growth.
To do this effectively, communication is key. From crafting individual development plans to providing continuous professional development opportunities as a benefit, work with each member of your team to help them improve their skills.
- Offer truly great benefits
Long gone are the days when a parking space or free tea and coffee were big influencers when it came to winning top talent. Nowadays, there are plenty of companies out there with big budgets, willing to offer job browsers seriously impressive benefits to win them over.
If you want to keep your employees happy, you don’t have to invest thousands, but simply offer them truly useful benefits that align with their values. This could include regular technology reviews, childcare vouchers, food discounts, free healthcare or days off on their birthday.
With the rise of remote working, flexibility alone is a highly beneficial perk which can prevent employees from stressing about childcare, taking the hassle out of juggling their family life and work life.
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Now you know how to boost employee morale and wellbeing to ensure your team is safe, happy and productive. Question is, where will you start?
