Techblog
Five ways to create a happy and productive workplace
For SMEs having a happy and productive workforce is crucial to business growth and success. Luckily there are techniques business owners can use to increase both employee satisfaction and productivity.
Employees are a company’s best resource. There’s a lot of research showing that happiness at work and productivity go hand in hand.
A recent study by researchers at a UK university found that happiness at work resulted in a 12% surge in productivity. Unhappy employees meanwhile were 10% less productive.
The late, great Steve Jobs of Apple said, “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
To make your business one where happiness as well as productivity thrives, consider the following tips:
1. Show that you care
To be happy at work, it’s important for employees to feel like they belong and are part of a group. This can be tricky, especially when companies grow and get busier. It’s important that business owners show that they really care about employees’ happiness and wellbeing, and not just for the sake of squeezing more results out of individual workers. Free snacks in the pantry is a good start but will only go so far.
2. Make your team feel respected
Respect is not the same as status. Human beings want to feel respected, regardless of their position. Even during bad times listening to your staff and treating them well will make a big difference to their working lives and your company.
3. Communicate clearly and keep them informed
Not having clear guidelines can get frustrating and hinder progress at work. To avoid misunderstandings and see quicker results, set clear expectations and outline responsibilities. Group and one-on-one sessions are great opportunities for setting clear boundaries and providing sound leadership with a personal touch.
4. Make being productive easier
There is a virtuous circle to aim for: happy workers are more productive and productive workers tend to be happier. Having the right equipment and tools are vital to maximising productivity and making the work enjoyable. Small and medium enterprises should take advantage of technology to build a happy, efficient and innovative workforce.
Give your team the opportunity to experiment with the different cloud-based collaboration systems available. Let them find one that works for office based staff and remote workers. It should allow them to use the technology and systems that drive productivity during normal workday but also keeps sensitive business data safe.
5. Reduce tasks that don’t inspire
Everyone hates paperwork. Keep your employees happy by reducing administrative tasks. Approve their claims and leave quickly with just a few clicks using applications such as Essential Workflow.
Workers always look forward to pay day. With digital payroll tools like Essentials Payslip you can issue itemised payslips within clicks and they can be accessed from their computer or mobile device with a secured login.
Relationship management systems like Salesforce or Insightly can save time by keeping up with prospects in one shared drive while increasing consistency in customer relations.
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Show that you really care about employees’ happiness, not just for the sake of productivity
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Make them feel respected. Listen to your staff
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Set clear expectations and outline responsibilities
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Use new technology to maximise productivity and happiness
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Keep employees happy by automating tedious administrative tasks