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A happy and positive company culture can help your business grow at a rapid pace. It can boost employee productivity and reduce the attrition rate, which will help retain valued employees. The benefits of such a work culture are multipronged.
While many company leaders understand these benefits, they are often clueless when it comes to creating such a company culture. Here are seven tips that can help you create and foster a happy company culture:
1. Do not micromanage.
Many company owners think the way to boost productivity is to micromanage their employees. But micromanagement can create resentment and will affect the company culture. It will introduce negativity into the company culture.
A much better way to increase the productivity of your employees and create a happy work culture is to provide them with goals and let them work on their own. This will ensure that there is a sense of competition. When you foster the spirit of competition among employees, along with valuing and appreciating your employees (tip #6), it automatically will help you create a happy work culture.
2. Offer impressive perks.
If you want to create a happy work culture in your company, give employees something they never expect from a company, which will have them thinking positively about their workplace. Such a positive attitude regarding their workplace helps them work more diligently and stay happy about their company and career. Some of the perks you can offer your employees include:
- Health insurance
- Gym at the office
- Free cafeteria
- On-site daycare
- Gaming room
- Tickets to local events
When you provide your employees with such unexpected perks, it can change your office culture for the better. It will induce a sense of fun and excitement among employees. They will look forward to such perks and, therefore, will value the company even more.
3. Act on employee feedback.
Many companies have a feedback mechanism. The problem is that the feedback often is lost. Very few companies act on that feedback. If you want to foster a happy work culture, it is essential to act on employee feedback.
When you do so, you will be able to change your office for the better. Employees will be the first ones to know about those changes. When the company acts on their feedback, employees will not only feel a sense of pride, they will be happy to work for a company that listens to them. It is one of the easiest ways to inspire a happy company culture.
4. Formulate a purpose.
Most companies give deadlines and goals to their employees. However, that can add to the workload. The high workload can degrade employee morale. On the other hand, when you associate that workload with a mission, it becomes a challenge for employees. The mission is the result the company wants to achieve. It can motivate employees to work better. The changing attitude of employees can automatically convert resentment due to the workload to the excitement of successfully meeting the deadlines and completing the mission.
When that happens, employees will be happy to work some extra hours to complete those deadlines. That is why you have to not only engender a sense of purpose but also make sure you convey it to employees. There are various ways to do so, including:
- Defining the mission statement
- Reinforcing it through consistent and regular company messaging or communication
- Making sure that employees understand and stand behind the mission
5. Hire a life coach.
“When you want to create a happy work culture, it is essential to help employees transition from the current one. Instead of letting them fend for themselves, it is a good idea to hire a life coach who will work with your employees while providing advice and coaching to help them understand the new company culture,” suggests Animas Coaching Centre.
The life coach also can provide guidance to your employees to boost their productivity. One of the main aims of the life coach is to foster positivity so employees feel elated while working. A life coach can help employees:
- Identify the obstacles
- Instill the new company culture
- Have a positive attitude about work
6. Value and appreciate your employees.
Employees often feel overlooked, particularly in large organizations. When that is the case, resentment can creep in over the years. The best way to eliminate dissatisfaction and induce happiness is to value and appreciate your employees. It is important to recognize employees for their contributions and hard work and to ensure they know the organization values them.
Some recognition options include:
- Publicly recognizing the best employee each month
- Providing incentives to the best employee each month
- Creating photo prints of your employees all around the office
7. Have fun days.
If your employees think of the office as just a working place, sooner than later they will be bored with spending long hours there. That is why you need to change their viewpoint regarding their workplace. To help employees perceive their workplace to be a fun and happening place, you can organize various events such as:
- Corporate parties
- Mocktail sessions
- Dance and aerobic routines
- Yoga/mindfulness sessions
- Dine-in sessions
Creating a happy and positive company culture will benefit not only employees but also the company as productivity and efficiency increase and stress decreases.
Rilind Elezaj is an expert in life coaching at Animas, a UK-based coaching center, and a regular writer of lifestyle columns.