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*This is a collaborative post.
Out of all the different things that go into making a business successful, it’s pretty hard to deny that there is anything more important than your employees. After all, no matter how great your ideas might be or how well constructed your business plan, if you don’t have employees there to turn it into a reality, then your business is never going to be able to reach levels of success that you really want.
Of course, a lot of business owners make the mistake of assuming that all your employees need to stay happy and motivated is a paycheck at the end of the month. Of course, paying them a fair wage is incredibly important, but it’s certainly not the only thing that matters when it comes to taking care of your employees.
One of the most important things that you need to do is to make sure that you’re creating the best possible atmosphere for them. If your employees are unhappy when they’re at work, then they’re going to struggle to give their best at all times. With that in mind, here are a few simple things that you need to do in order to create the best possible atmosphere for your employees.
Make Sure they’re Comfortable
You should never underestimate the importance of a comfortable work environment. It might seem as though it’s not that important since the point of being at work is to work and not to lounge around.
But if your employees are uncomfortable then they’re going to be distracted, and it can even have a serious impact on their health. It’s important that all of the chairs in your office offer the right amount of support and that everyone in the office is able to work in a comfortable space.
You might also want to consider things like sit stand desks that allow your employees the chance to be more active while they’re at work. Even if you’re in a comfortable chair, sitting around all day can have a pretty serious impact on your posture and physical health, so having the chance to stretch their legs every so often can make a big difference to your employees.
Keep them Safe
Health and safety is one of those things that far too many business owners don’t take seriously enough. They assume, all too often, that things are going to be just fine and that they don’t have to worry about it.
The trouble is that if something happens, that could have been prevented with health and safety procedures that you failed to put in place, you’re going to be the one who’s liable for it. This can not only cause problems because you’ll be down by at least one staff member, but you could also end up in pretty serious financial and legal trouble.
It’s far better to make sure that the environment in which your employees work is as safe as possible. Not only that but you should offer regular health and safety training for your employees. All of the procedures in the world aren’t going to be worth a single thing if your employees aren’t aware of them and aren’t able to put them into practice.
Focus on Equality
Every single person has the right to go to work and be treated the same no matter their skin color, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factor. However, it’s a sad fact that there are always going to be people who are willing to treat others badly because of these things.
You need to make sure that there is a zero-tolerance policy on any kind of discrimination or inequality in your business. Not only should the policy of your business be incredibly clear but you should make sure that your employees feel totally comfortable coming to you if any issues like this do end up happening.
You should be able to deal with them swiftly and fairly. If you allow that kind of behavior to carry on then, it’s your employees who are going to suffer, and you’re going to get the reputation for not caring about them, which is going to make them much more likely to decide to look for employment elsewhere. This extends to everything from fair treatment, to equal pay for all employees.
Allow them to Communicate
There was a time when the conventional wisdom was that your employees should be sat at their desks, focusing on the task at hand, and not allowing themselves to become distracted by what’s going on around them.
Then, in the late 20th century the assumption was that the opposite was true. As though having a totally open plan office was the way forward. The truth is that the best option actually lies somewhere in the middle of these two choices. An open plan office can often create an incredibly disordered environment which makes it incredibly difficult to be productive.
Whereas a tyrannical environment can cause your employees to become very frustrated and resentful of the business. By finding a compromise between the two, you’re going to be able to push your business forward with a team that knows how to be productive but also how to work together and collaborate.
Make sure that your employees have the options for both spaces to communicate with one another but also space where they can focus and work independently. By offering this balance, your employees can ensure that they’re in the right situation for any particular task that needs completing.
Not only that but being able to communicate with each other with help bring the whole team together and will make your business much more of a well-oiled machine.
Of course, there are always going to be things that get in the way of productivity that you’re not going to be able to prevent or control. But if you’re able to create the best possible atmosphere for your employees then at least you’re going to be in a position where you can all work together to make sure that any problem that occurs can be dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible.
What do you think?!
