Creating a Happy Atmosphere At Your Business
It’s dangerous to think about your business solely in terms of productivity. Managers that take that approach often yield good short-term results, but it can be highly damaging over a longer-term business. Why? Because businesses that are too clinical about their business often tend to lose their best employees and have trouble bringing quality on board. And that can be a death knell for businesses. It’s in the company’s interest to ensure that its staff is happy and content at work. Not only is this “the right thing to do,” but it’ll also have long-term positive effects for your business. Productivity and quality of work can thrive when an employee is happy.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to boost your employees’ happiness levels. In this blog, we’re going to focus on the ambiance of the workplace. Having a good atmosphere can have a hugely positive impact on a company’s future. Here’s how to get it.
Make it Spacious
People’s states of mind reflect their surroundings. If they feel like they’re working in a cramped, dingy environment, then it’s much more likely that they’ll be grouchy. Plus, aside from anything else, it’ll just make it more difficult to work. You can’t produce your best work if you can’t let your thoughts breathe. You can’t magically make the room bigger, of course, but you can make the space feel larger. How? By getting rid of bulky furniture and items that don’t need to be in the office. You may also change the layout to make better use of space.
As well as making things more spacious, also take a look at making the space brighter. It’s much, much nicer to work in a space that receives natural sunlight. With that and some plants, you’ll be on your way toward having a pleasant workspace.
Social Spaces
Studies have shown that employees are much happier at work if they feel they’re working with friends. Ideally, you’ll have hired people who are friendly and easy to get along with. From there, it’ll be about giving your workers a chance to get to know one another. One of the simplest and most effective ways to do this is to create a social space within your workplace where your employees can hang out in a relaxed manner. You never know what friendships might develop in those social spaces — plus, you may benefit from collaboration between workers that help to push your business forward.
A Sense of Belonging
It’s important that your workers feel like they belong in the workspace. They should feel comfortable and valued and just generally that they’re a part of the organization. It’s dangerous to assume that this will happen all on its own. Some people will naturally feel that way, but if even one person feels like they’re on the outside, then you’ll have issues. The good news is that this is entirely avoidable. There are many ways to make someone feel included. You could shop here for custom embroidery products that feature the logo of your company. You could ask your team if there’s anything they need to feel more comfortable. These things can be in addition to your onboarding process, which should welcome new employees to the company.
Daily Treats
Want a quick, easy, and affordable way to boost the happiness of your workers? Then look at supplying them with some daily treats, such as coffee and donuts. Who doesn’t love receiving something delicious? It can give enough of a boost to really put someone in a good mood. Now, it’s important not to put too much stock in daily treats — take a read of Silicon Valley literature, and you could assume that these benefits are as powerful as paying a good salary. They’re not. They’re just a nice little bonus that, when provided in conjunction with other essentials, can help to elevate the mood.
Relaxation
Some people have no problem at all sitting at their desks all day, working hard. But that’s not most people. Most workers are exhausted by the time that they begin the journey home, and in fact, usually long before that. And it’s not hard to see why — humans were not designed to work for eight hours straight. Even if you want your employees to work non-stop when they’re at the office, it’s usually best that they don’t. After all, the quality of work tends to dip significantly after a while, and that’ll hurt your business. So why not help your employees and your business by adding some relaxation touches to your workplace? You don’t need to offer onsite massages (though feel free); some comfortable chairs in a room with low lighting can be enough to give your employees a break when they need one.
Speak To Your Employees
It’s all good and well adding some touches that you think your employees will want. However, it’s arguably much more effective to simply ask your staff directly what they want. They’ll have a better idea of what they need than you do! It’s always a good idea to ensure that your employees feel comfortable coming to you. Indeed, it’s the foundation of a good working environment. You can’t avoid problems at work, but you can ensure that they don’t have a bigger impact than they need to. Your door should always be open for your employees.
Take Care of Infrastructure
If you’ve hired correctly, then you’ll have a talented team of employees that can do great things. However, they can only do great things if they have the infrastructure that allows them to do their best. Make sure you’ve got all the essentials, such as internet, hardware, and software programs, that your employees will need.
Keep Things Relaxed
Finally, be sure to work on creating a relaxed atmosphere. Stressful environments are common, but they don’t actually produce better results. All they do is create stress. If you take steps to make your space relaxed (incense and air diffuser, anyway), then you’ll have a happy and joyful workforce — exactly as it should be.