How To Ensure That Your Employees Are Satisfied With Their Working Place And Conditions
Imagine that you are working for a company that has no morale or culture; your colleagues don’t enjoy their jobs and everyone says the environment is uninspiring. If this were true, you’d probably leave as soon as possible. This is an extreme example, but no company is perfect and businesses should always be seeking ways to improve.
It may be that you are an employer who is keen to provide an environment that your staff will appreciate. If this is true, this article will show you how to keep your employees content with their working place and conditions.
Issue An Employee Satisfaction Survey
Managers are able to find out how happy their employees are during one-to-ones, general meetings and appraisals. By issuing an annual staff survey you can take things up a level. The questionnaire can allow staff to provide honest feedback about their work environment. When done correctly, it provides companies with valuable information on what motivates their staff and how they feel about the company and working conditions. It can let you know what they think of:
– the staff team and their management
– your company’s vision, values and culture
– salary and benefits packages
– working hours
The insights gained can help companies resolve key issues and avoid future problems such as high staff turnover. There are third-party companies that can help the voice of staff members be heard, and assist businesses in boosting employee sentiment and morale. By overseeing these surveys, external companies can turn insights into actions and make employees feel empowered.
Make The Workplace Comfortable
Once you’ve hired the best employees and they’ve entered your business, it’s important to make sure that they stay. If your office is clean and modern, this will keep them satisfied with their working place. Make sure there is water available for drinking throughout the day so everyone stays hydrated. Clean up any waste paper or food containers daily. Be sure not to leave dirty dishes in common areas and kitchens (if applicable) and keep the bathrooms clean at all times.
You could also provide a clean and organized break room and some office plants. If necessary, redecorate the office and upgrade your furniture. Why not add a coffee or snack machine to improve staff morale? Rather than being an unnecessary expense, it would be an investment in your staff’s sense of wellbeing. Also, make sure there is adequate parking for your staff, and if possible provide it free onsite.
Upgrade Your Technology
Your staff will feel frustrated if they don’t have the necessary tools for the job, or if they have computer systems that keep glitching or crashing. You should ensure that your cloud technology is up-to-date, and upgrade any obsolete software or hardware. If you are looking for a cloud provider, choose one with mobile access so your employees can work on the move as well as in the office.
Whether it’s laptops or desk phones, don’t neglect these things because even something small like cables being out of date can cause problems. Consider providing smartphones if possible; this will help people remain connected when they’re out of the office.
Provide Incentives
They are a great way to motivate your employees and keep them happy. If there is no promotion potential in a company, the staff may feel it’s time for a career change. Most employees are seeking higher salaries and bonuses based on their performance reviews. You could also help your staff gain new qualifications and attend training courses and workshops. This way they can learn new skills which will benefit them both personally and professionally.
Not all staff incentives need to be financial. Think about their work/life balance and make some improvements. For example, you could:
- let them work from home every other week
- have an ‘own clothes Friday’
- provide flexible working hours so they can pick up their kids after school and spend quality time with the family
- give staff a day off on their birthday
- let people do voluntary charity work one day a year
- pay for their team Christmas lunch
Hopefully, you have benefited from this panoramic view of the different ways you can increase your employees’ work satisfaction. Your staff will appreciate having a voice and being listened to (especially if you do something about it!) and be happier to come to work if it is a pleasant environment. In return for investing time and money in your employees, you will be stewarding your greatest asset. Your staff will be highly motivated and keen to serve you for many years to come.
