How to Run a Fair, Honest and Happy Workplace

Happy employees are much more productive. Not only will they have the desire to stay at a company for a long time, but they tend to be more positive, confident, and reliable.

When the working environment is poor, there tends to be an increase in workers having an overall unhappy mindset. Employees in unhappy workplaces will not have the drive to go into work, making it more likely for them to call in sick or turn up late.

When a company has a staff force with this attitude, it can cost them a lot of money. So, what we must look at is this crucial question:

What exactly does it take to create a happy workplace?

For an overall happier environment, below are some factors all workplaces should follow to help improve the well-being of staff, leading to more productive, satisfied team members.

1. Assess the work-life balance and flexibility of staff

Gone are the days when workers were expected to work 12-hour days with half an hour lunch break. These days, employees know they can find workplaces out there which encourage a life outside of work, wanting employees to spend time with families and follow their dreams.

When you trust your staff to work more flexibly, whether that is across flexi-time working hours or day-to-day management, they receive a sense of pride. In return, they treat the employer with trust and respect, too.

More companies are looking at offering the flexibility to work from home occasionally or treat staff to special days off – like birthdays and anniversaries – which employees treat with loyalty.

2. Avoid micromanaging employees

Again, micromanaging is a thing of the past. It defeats the purpose of having trained and skilled staff. It prevents skilled workers from reaching their full potential and using their own initiative, causing an unhappy working environment.

Always being on top of employees and micromanaging every task can feel like suffocation. Instead, work on building trust in the people you hire and watch them strive to impress. By showing your employees that you trust them to take their own lead, it promotes a more confident workforce.

3. Keep everything fair and even

The most demotivating factor for an employee is when they feel they are not being treated fairly, and in some cases, a victim of discrimination. In our diverse world, most companies employ staff from different backgrounds with different skill sets, which is the most efficient way to build a strong team.

Many companies utilize having a workforce built with skills and expertise from all around the world. This means that as an employer, you must treat each staff member fairly. The working hours and wages should be fair, following corporate immigration rules and regulations. There is plenty of immigration law help if you or your business are unsure, such as Hirson Immigration, which assists with business and investment immigration law.

4. Give praise where it is needed

A reason for a high turnover of staff tends to be when staff don’t feel acknowledged or appreciated. An employee will never know how they are portrayed to the company unless they are praised or given regular feedback, so do make sure this is something incorporated into everyday working procedures.

Being praised and acknowledged gives an employee a sense of achievement, which will make them feel proud and want to continue to work hard.

Whether you do this as an employer every week, or set monthly appraisals, it is entirely up to you and your business.

5. Invest in development and growth

If an employee feels like they are on a growth path, and can visualize a development route, they tend to feel more settled. Of course, companies would love to be able to promote and give pay rises often, but in an ideal world, this isn’t always achievable.

A great way to allow your staff to feel like they have a future at the company is to look at ways to invest in their personal and professional development. Offer training courses or cost-effective learning in other ways, such as seminars and workshops.

Perhaps every now and again you bring in an external professional to monitor and teach your staff new skills. It works well to ask your staff every so often the areas they feel they need development, so you can ensure you’re spending the money wisely.

For the over best working environment for your staff, make sure you are creating an enjoyable place to work, where employees don’t dread coming into work. That way, you, as an employer, will reap the benefits and gain more productivity from your staff. The bottom line is to provide a happy workplace filled with respect, and by following the tips above, you should get there in no time.