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Staff happiness (why motivating employees is important for business SUCCESS)

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The importance of staff happiness is often overlooked in the business world. However, it is a key factor for success in today’s competitive economy. A happy staff will be more motivated and productive than an unhappy one. It will also be more loyal and committed to the company.

It has been found that staff happiness can have a significant impact on the bottom line of a company. Staff members need to be happy in order to generate more revenue, which leads to higher productivity and customer satisfaction levels, which creates a good reputation for the company, which leads to increased sales and profits.

In this article we will explore why motivating employees is important for your business success and how to go about it.

Staff happiness why motivating employees is important for business success

Table of contents

It's not all about customers - your employees matter too

Many companies have the misconception that they can get away with paying their employees a low wage and not providing them with enough benefits. This is not true.  If you're wondering how to get your employees to stay then you should first look at how much you are paying them.

There are many studies out there that show how unhappy workers are less productive, less creative and often leave to find a job elsewhere, leaving businesses with low staff retention rates which costs time and money to recruit new staff members and train them. If you want your company to be successful, then you need to make sure that your staff is happy and motivated.

One of the problems that a lot of business owners have is that they focus too heavily on the customers and nothing else. Of course, customers are important as without them your business does not exist so we're not saying you shouldn't focus on customer experience optimisation. However, the same thing is also true about your employees. 

Happy employees = happy customers.

Your employees are just as important as your customers because without them your company is never going to see success. If your employees are clearly miserable or not treated well, believe me, it will show and it will put customers off from shopping with you.  Just how many times have you received miserable service from a business and not returned?  

There are several local businesses I can think of where we received such unenthusiastic or downright rude or miserable service, almost as if they were annoyed at having to do their job and serve us at the till, that we actually won’t return now.  It’s not a good look for any company to have staff who clearly don’t want to be there or who make customers feel bad about wanting to purchase something!

In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you can do to show your employees how much they matter to you, to keep them motivated and stop them from turning your customers away!

1. Make sure your employees know they are appreciated

There are many different ways to motivate employees, but the most important one is to make sure that they feel appreciated for their contributions and efforts.  Feeling appreciated at work can ensure valuable employees are retained and don’t want to work elsewhere.  Feeling unvalued is one of the top reasons people leave their jobs.

There are many studies that have shown the benefits of appreciation, such as:

  • Employees who feel appreciated are more engaged in their work and less likely to leave their jobs

  • Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be satisfied with their job, perform better, and be more creative

  • Employees who feel appreciated are less likely to experience stress and depression

The American Psychological Association completed a study on employee wellbeing and discovered “Almost all employees (93 percent) who reported feeling valued said that they are motivated to do their best at work and 88 percent reported feeling engaged. This compares to just 33 percent and 38 percent, respectively, of those who said they do not feel valued.”

Feeling appreciated is more about being acknowledged and being thanked than anything fancy, but going the extra mile doesn’t hurt.  Perhaps you can buy your team lunch or dinner to thank them for all their hard work.  Or let them leave early every now and then when all the deadlines have been met and it’s a Friday afternoon.  Maybe you can buy small gifts or a thank you card to celebrate their achievements.

Most importantly, make sure you acknowledge their hard work with a thank you. Just knowing they are appreciated for their hard work will keep staff content.  There’s nothing worse than working your butt off for a company and feeling unthanked at the end of every day!

Appreciation is powerful.  Staff who feel appreciated and valued will be more productive and motivated in their work. They will also be more willing to go the extra mile for you.

2. Offer support and guidance to your employees

It is important to give your staff support and guidance in order to keep them motivated, engaged, and happy.  It will ensure they feel listened to and supported in their roles.

It’s about staff being able to seek support from line managers when needed, having their concerns and ideas listened to and not dismissed.  The most important thing to remember when supporting your staff is that you need to be approachable and a good listener. Listen to their problems, listen to their successes, and listen to the areas they are struggling in. It will help you understand them and the way they think.

You need to make sure that you are available for them. When your staff needs help and guidance, you should be there for them. 

The need for support and guidance is universal. Whether it is employees, customers or partners, people will always need help. It's important to provide the right support and guidance at the right time to make sure that they are successful and can grow.

Support and guidance can be given in many ways such as setting clear expectations for work, staff reviews, giving employees the opportunity to learn new skills, or providing a mentor.  You should also make sure that your staff knows what is expected of them so they can achieve their goals as well as yours.  Offer your employees training and the chance to gain promotions.

3. Make new team members feel welcome

The first few days on the job are crucial for new employees. They need to get a feel of the work environment and be able to adjust themselves accordingly. This is where the importance of making them feel welcome comes in. New employees are often anxious and nervous about their new work environment. They need to be able to fit in with the company culture quickly and easily.

The best way to do this is by giving them a tour of the office, introducing them to their co-workers, and showing them where they will be working. This can also be done by taking them out for lunch or dinner with some of the other employees so they can get a feel for the company culture and meet people who they will be working closely with.

Assigning a mentor can be helpful, as well as meet-and-greet sessions with other employees.

Some companies have started providing an employee welcome box with information about the company and some goodies like snacks, water bottles, or branded t-shirts that they can wear on their first day at work.  Or it could contain items for their new desk such as a personalised mug,a  pen, notebook or branded products from your company.

Making newcomers feel at ease will go a long way in them trusting you and liking you as an employer.

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4. Encourage your employees to have good relationships with coworkers

It is important to make sure that employees have good relationships with their coworkers because it helps them feel more comfortable at work. This will also help them be more productive and happy.

Workers who have positive relationships with their co-workers are more likely to be satisfied in their jobs, less likely to quit, and less likely to experience depression or anxiety.

It is very easy for employees to lose motivation and want to leave the company if they are not getting along well with their coworkers. This can also lead to low productivity rates and high turnover rates.

There are many benefits to having good relationships with coworkers. For example, it's easier to ask for help when you need it and you're less likely to be stressed out. However, it can be difficult to get along with everyone, so how can you help your employees have good relationships with their coworkers?

Here are a few tips to encourage good employee relationships :

  • On occasion, socialise during work hours. Organise company outings or events where everyone can get together and have fun outside of the office setting.

  • Encourage employees to take breaks during the day, like going out for lunch or coffee together. Don’t set everyone’s breaks at different times.

  • Arrange team building exercises that are fun and not corny!

  • Give employees the opportunity for not only team work, but one-on-one conversations to build stronger connections with one another and build trust with different team members.

  • When choosing new talent it’s important to choose people who will fit in with the company and existing staff, especially if they are to work well together as a team. It is not just about skills and experience but also about personality.

  • Arrange for people from different departments to be on the same team when suitable for projects that need talent from across departments.

  • Don’t only reward individuals, but teams too to encourage a sense of togtherness and team work.

5. Find out what motivates your employees and do it!

It's not enough to just pay your employees fairly and provide them with the best working conditions. You need to make sure that they are happy and motivated in their work.

There are many ways to motivate your employees, but the most successful way is by listening to their needs and wants. This will allow you to see what motivates them personally and professionally, which will help you figure out how best to motivate them.

For example, some people like getting recognition for their work, while others prefer being told when they do something wrong. Some people simply want a thank you at the end of the day, while others want a chance at progression or more money and to know how to achieve this. Once you know what motivates your employees, you can easily motivate them and there’s no guesswork.

Final word on the importance of staff happiness

Staff happiness and motivation is a crucial factor in the success of any company. If employees are not happy, they will not be productive and will not want to work there. This will lead to low productivity and a high turnover rate.

As Richard Branson quite rightly quotes: “Take care of your employees, and they’ll take care of your business. It’s as simple as that.”