5 Keys to Happier Employees - 4 people sitting at a table and holding up their glasses of wine/beer

5 Keys to Happier Employees

Amelia Wilcox
July 5, 2016
October 9, 2022
Executives

If you want happier employees, chances are your workplace morale has seen better days. These days, poor company culture can make or break a business, so it's no surprise that business owners and HR managers are always on the lookout for morale boosters.

In this article, you'll get 5 key areas to address to make employees happier at work.      

5 Steps to Happier Employees

There might be countless ways to improve morale at any given company. But there are a few things morale has in common no matter what kind of business you're in.

When employees feel unappreciated and unmotivated, they won't be productive, or they'll find a different job. And sure, either way it costs a business some money. But more importantly, without any kind of fix, your company will see the same thing happen over and over again.

happier employees

5 Ways to Improve Employee Morale

1. Allow work-from-home days

If your industry can manage it, start to allow some telecommuting days, or flexible hours. Don't think you can trust employees enough for that kind of freedom? That's a sure sign your morale is flagging anyway. Employees don't do good work because someone's watching over their shoulder; they do good work because it's personally rewarding, whether it's done at the office or at home.

Related: Telecommuting Policies: 5 Rules HR Managers Should Include

Can't make telework an option every day? Try Monday mornings or Friday afternoons for the rest of the summer months. Just make sure your workers have the equipment they'll need at home (see #2 below).  

improve employee morale

2. Upgrade your tools and processes

Not having proper equipment to get the job done is a big factor in low employee morale. When employees spend time figuring out a work-around because printers don't work, or there is a mountain of paperwork between task A and task B, morale will sink.

Ideally, the middle manager's main task is to ensure employees can get their work done. That means minimizing red tape, streamlining processes, and being the go-between for the C-suite and the worker-bees.  

3. Remember to be a motivator

Low morale comes from the combination of doing something you have to that you don't really want to do. A low morale day every once in a while, is to be expected. But low morale several days a week is an epidemic.

Management can address this by being as enthusiastic and motivating for employees as they were the first days those employees joined the team.

Dole out encouragement, provide regular feedback, let workers know when they're on the right track, and generally be a pleasant person to interact with. Being your employees' teammate rather than another thing to put up with make a big difference.

Related: Top 7 Employee Recognition Apps and Programs

4. Celebrate wins, big or small

Did everyone meet their goals for the week? Did someone land a particularly tough deal, or complete a nerve-wracking project? Send an email highlighting the accomplishment.

That way, employees know their work is getting noticed, and they have the opportunity to receive words of support and celebration from colleagues who may not be familiar with their projects.

Remember: criticize privately, praise publicly.

5. Assess engagement

Engaged workers have their mind on their work, they enjoy the work they do and the company they keep, and they believe in the mission and causes their employer stands for.

So how can you make sure more employees are engaged?

Some aspects of engagement may be out of a company's complete control, such as an employee's personal, home-life disruptions. But others are directly related to the work environment. In fact, "Employee engagement is a direct reflection of how employees feel about their relationship with the boss" (source).  Most companies will start with an employee engagement survey. This assesses a point-in-time measurement of the state of your workplace.

Disclaimer

By participating in/reading the service/website/blog/email series on this website, you acknowledge that this is a personal website/blog and is for informational purposes and should not be seen as mental health care advice. You should consult with a licensed professional before you rely on this website/blog’s information. All things written on this website should not be seen as therapy treatment and should not take the place of therapy or any other health care or mental health advice. Always seek the advice of a mental health care professional or physician. The content on this blog is not meant to and does not substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Amelia Wilcox
Amelia Wilcox
Amelia Wilcox is the Founder and CEO of Nivati, a leader in corporate massage and employee mental health support since 2010. Her high-growth B2B company provides employee stress management tools that arm businesses with actionable data and positive employee experiences to improve wellbeing, boost morale, and increase engagement. Amelia has exponentially grown her company from a solo living-room service business to an international technology brand.