how to create a happy workplace

Creating a good environment for employees, where stress, and pressure is minimal, and everyone has a good work-life balance is quite difficult. It involves time, effort, money, and persistence. But, the rewards mean you’ll have a positive, enthusiastic, and hard-working team who enjoy their job. Which in turn creates less staff churn, lower levels of sickness absence, and a more efficient team. 

 

So how do you create this happy workplace? 

 

The ‘Top Down’ effect 

 

It’s no secret that people are affected by the people around them, and this includes in the workplace. Employees are especially affected by their managers, leaders, and the people they report to. Negative, unapproachable, or unpleasant managers can have a huge effect on a team. Leading to a breakdown in communication, less productivity, unenthusiastic team members, and even staff resignations. It’s vital that managers and bosses understand how much their attitude, manner, and general approach to work impact the wider team. 

 

Trust your employees 

 

Showing your employees that you trust them is important for everyone to feel valued. If you display that you trust their judgment, skills, and capabilities, this helps to reinforce the fact that you hired them to do a job because they are the right person for the job. 

 

Ditch the pointless ‘employee perks’ 

 

Whilst cake on a Friday is great, does it really make a difference to the happiness of your employees day-to-day at work? Probably not. Consider employee perks that affect employees’ lives at home and at work in a positive way. Flexible working, training and development allowance, life insurance, wellness packages, commuting allowance, discounts, and childcare allowances are just a few. 

 

Invest in your team’s development 

 

In many sectors, it’s vital that employees keep up to date with industry updates, news, and new technologies. Whilst it’s great to understand these, can this understanding transfer into providing this knowledge to customers? Training courses provide employees with an opportunity to learn new skills and be recognised for their achievements. It’s also important to note this development can be for both professional and personal skills. 

 

Make fitness a focus 

 

It’s well documented that regular exercise has numerous benefits, including improving overall fitness levels, as well as having mental health benefits. But many people, especially those with families & busy lives, exercise can become less of a priority. It’s a great idea to encourage health and wellbeing in the workplace, encouraging employees to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This could be done by providing: free fruit & vegetables, a wellness package, a cycle-to-work scheme, and active work events. 

 

Be approachable 

 

Trusting employees to do their job is vital, but if they are unsure of something, they must be comfortable approaching managers and others for help. Everyone from the MD to team supervisors should be friendly, available, and willing to help others. After all, sharing knowledge amongst employees is only good for the business. 

 

Contact Us 

 

Explore our blogs on mental health issues that can impact your employees at work. Or, if you need more information about creating a happy work environment, or how Acorn could benefit the way your business works. Please get in touch with a member of our team. Visit our FAQs page, call us at 01260 277797, or email us at website@acornoh.co.uk

Want to know more about the Occupational Health services we provide at Acorn, and how they could benefit your business and your employees? Please get in touch.