What Makes A Workplace Happy?

Employees are the most crucial aspect of any business, without them, there would be no room to expand and grow a company. With so many industries experiencing candidate shortages, it’s more important than ever to ensure that a workplace is happy in order to retain employees.

Dealing with the day to day stresses of work can be quite taxing and can often leave employees feeling deflated and unmotivated. As the business owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your employees remain motivated and happy. In this article, we will assess what exactly makes a workplace happy and provide actionable insights on how to make this a reality in your office.

Cultural office fit

Working and being surrounded by individuals who are equally as driven and motivated can make all of the difference. When you recruit individuals, be sure to choose the ones who are willing to learn and want to grow within the industry. Motivation breeds motivation, so this is a great starting point for creating a happy work environment.

The term “cultural fit” is thrown around a lot by internal recruiters, but what does it actually mean? Essentially, a cultural fit is somebody who has the same mindset, outlook and behaviours that are in line with the core company values. If you incorporate a cultural fit assessment in your interviews, then it’s likely that you will have a team who have similar values, which makes it a lot easier for them to form workplace friendships.

Despite this, it’s equally as important to diversify your team, as too many of the same character can quickly form cliques, which can become quite toxic really quickly. If you’re experiencing a skill shortage within your industry, then recruiting overseas can be a really good alternative. In order to recruit overseas, you will need to become a Tier 2 Visa sponsor. We would recommend speaking to an immigration solicitor if this is something that you would want to pursue.

Break away from the norm

The lull of 9-5 can often take over an office, especially in times of difficulty or if you’re experiencing a slow season. This can make coming to work extremely tedious and can result in employees becoming distracted, which isn’t great for productivity.

If you’re experiencing a particularly busy period, then it’s important to ensure that you show your employees how appreciated they are. It can be easy for them to forget the bigger picture and to become bogged down with everyday tasks. Be sure to organise team-building events such as activity days, workplace drinks and so on. This will help to bond your employees and will also help with productivity.

Employers who care

As you may know, there is a workplace phenomenon called the Hawthorne Effect, which shows that employees are much more productive when they feel as though they are cared about. It’s crucial as a manager to show your employees that you care about them and this can be as simple as asking “how are you?”.

Offering small things, such as a water cooler, a coffee machine or a nice break room can help to show your employees that you value their wellbeing and want to make their day as enjoyable as possible.