When it comes to employee engagement, one of the first things you should achieve is a healthy workplace environment. However, how exactly do you create a setting where people are happy, productive, accepted, and encouraged? These HR tips will show you how to boost employee motivation to create a healthier environment in your company.
1. Express Appreciation Every Day
Recall the last time that your manager recognized your efforts. You probably felt an instant boost in your mood and confidence. Perhaps, it even gave you the motivation you needed to complete a big project.
Several studies have proven that meaningful recognition can dramatically improve employee motivation, satisfaction, and retention. Indeed, appreciation is a critical part of creating a healthy company environment.
According to Achievers’ 2020 Culture Report, one of the top things that employees ask for in the new normal is recognition. Meanwhile, 82% of employees wish they get acknowledged more often. So, don’t hesitate to recognize hard work across your organization.
Moreover, you should make the recognition public. This way, other people can learn from their colleagues’ successes. Also, you should recognize specific traits, qualities, and achievements. Doing so will reinforce the behaviors that you want others to repeat.
2. Develop Trust
90% of employees consider trust, honesty, and fairness as the most important attributes in the workplace. Now, how do you build trust in your company? Well, here’s a great start:
· Make promises that you can deliver.
· Don’t say, “I’ll try my best.” Instead, commit to taking action.
· Make sure that team members are updated.
· Have an open discussion about overcoming obstacles that hinder team members from accomplishing their goals.
You can also build trust in the workplace by being accountable for your decisions and mistakes. You should also show compassion while focusing on actions. Another strategy would be using the first five minutes of meetings for discussing the professional or personal lives of employees.
3. Create a Conducive Work Environment
An Office Genie survey revealed that a great workplace design can make employees happier by 33%. By improving people’s workspaces, you can keep them engaged. Along the process, you can promote healthy work habits.
So, you should invest in creating an enjoyable place to work in. Even if you have a remote workforce, their business space will also affect their performance. So, if your budget permits, you should invest in helping them create a comfortable workspace. For instance, you can give them a budget for purchasing standing desks, ergonomic chairs, and extra monitors.
Encourage employees to express what they need for work. What you provide them does not necessarily have to be physical items. You can also equip them with the software they need to make remote work easier. Some examples would be a project management app, time tracker, and password manager.
4. Invest in Professional Growth
You may have done a great job hiring talented and capable individuals. However, their growth shouldn’t stop there. You need to empower them by providing opportunities for learning and development. Also, another way of helping them grow is by giving them autonomy over projects. Give them control over their tasks and let them be accountable for their decisions. Allow them to make mistakes, but never neglect to guide them to the right path.
Keep in mind that the success of your team will also depend on the frequency and quality of feedback they receive. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring the importance of having a formal program for listening to employees.
A 2020 white paper by employee platform Achievers found that 78% of HR executives believe that their company’s efforts at fostering a feedback culture are ineffective. So, it’s important to create channels for feedback, including HR chatbots and pulse surveys. By having these tools, your company can show that it listens to employees. The program will also encourage people to express their concerns, wants, and needs.
5. Create a Flexible Workplace
It’s not uncommon for employees to encounter conflicts between their work and personal life. Thankfully, over the years, the workplace is becoming more and more flexible. For instance, a Cisco Systems Inc. survey found that providing remote work options for their employees brings various benefits.
83% of the workers claimed that their ability to collaborate and communicate did not suffer when they worked from home. 75% reported that they were able to submit their tasks on time while 69% said that they were more productive. 67% of the respondents even reported that the quality of their work improved.
If you want to create a more flexible workplace, you need to develop a strategy. Give that plan a try and make sure to prioritize communication during the process. Also, remember that some employees would prefer the traditional workplace setting. So, you should also consider their preferences.
6. Give Out Incentives, Rewards, and Benefits
As we’ve mentioned, many employees wished that they were recognized more often at work. Also, while a pat on the back is good, some workers still prefer putting a dollar value on recognition to make it meaningful. Now, how do you please and motivate workers?
Here are some of the techniques you can use:
- Perks – Some benefits do not have to be financial. For instance, people value their free time. So, you can offer half days. You can also organize office parties, dress-down days, and social activities outside the workplace.
Bonuses – Employees usually perform better when they know that they will receive bonuses and other financial rewards for their hard work.
- Workplace amenities – Some nice incentives that people will appreciate include a daycare center, cafeteria, or a games room in the office. With these amenities available, employees will be more eager to come to work.
- Education – Many employees also value their professional growth. So, you can also offer to pay for further studies as incentives for hard work. It’s a great benefit because it expands your workforce’s skill set while encouraging loyalty.
In Conclusion
You shouldn’t underestimate the link between holistic health and employee engagement. As you can see, creating a healthier environment in a company takes hard work. However, when your organization focuses on the wellbeing of its employees, it will reap the benefits of higher productivity and a lower turnover rate.
