A recent survey by the EU Commission reveals that, despite being content in their personal lives, many British workers are unhappy at work. This might not necessarily seem like ground-breaking news but when you consider it alongside a recent Gallup study, of more than 180 million people, that reveals only 13% of us are happy at work, you realise it’s a pretty sorry state of affairs and that action clearly needs to be taken.
If we don’t attempt to make our workforce a little perkier, the decline of staff engagement can, and will, result in poor performance and higher churn rates. By understanding the factors that lead to workers feeling disengaged, employers can implement initiatives that will counteract these pain points and achieve measurable, positive business outcomes.
Many companies are restricted in terms of the budget they can apportion to new employee initiatives, meaning they can be left scratching their head when devising feasible options to boost employee morale. However, fear not, I have put together some of my top tips that are guaranteed to energise employees, boost happiness in the workplace and make for a more content office…
Incentivise to energise
Recognition in front of colleagues is a proven driver of employee happiness so why not set up a system for staff members who ‘go above and beyond’? This way, staff can win weekly points that can be converted into prizes such as gift cards and free lunches. Even the traditional ‘Employee of the Month’ provides an intrinsic reward that employees appreciate, so is still a worthwhile approach.
Tea time = team time
Tuesday afternoon is statistically the most miserable time of the working week. To counteract this, get the team together for a cup of tea, biscuits and a 20-minute huddle. By using this as a fun and informal ideas sharing session, employees can help each other to solve day-to-day issues or even just catch up on their latest Netflix addiction!
Give the team a vitamin boost
We should all aim to consume our five a day, so why not help to keep the workforce’s energy levels up whilst adding some colour to the office? A simple way to do this is supplying staff with free fruit to give them a vitamin boost, which is especially beneficial to help protect against those pesky office colds.
Sign up for freebies
A perhaps little-known initiative is signing up to a service that enable the workforce to trial freebie products from leading brands. You’ll be surprised how many brands from food and drink to cosmetics are looking to share samples with the UK workforce in exchange for a little bit of consumer feedback. Services such as these are usually free and are guaranteed to delight employees, so a bit of a no-brainer really.
Get active
Why not sign up the team to participate in a charity race? This is a great way to boost team rapport, as even a shorter race provides an opportunity for people to train together and get to know each other better. Another great idea is to start a company sports team. It’s an ideal way for staff to enjoy the summer weather together and perhaps compete in a friendly five-a-side tournament. You could even get customers and suppliers involved!
The Gallup study found that engaged employees drive innovation and move an organisation forward because they work with passion, and are more connected to the company. Equally, Staff who ‘sleepwalk’ through their day can slow down momentum and can often bring down the mood of their peers. By taking just a few simple steps, companies can cast a little more light into their employees’ day, making people happier and more productive as a result. Engaged employees maintain engaged customers, meaning customers are happier and the workplace is a better place to be!
