Is it important to keep people happy at work? Only if you want them to WANT to work!
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There is something about a happy environment that makes people want to work. Crazy, right? Give a person a pleasant and upbeat atmosphere and his/her work performance is fueled with energy. Happy people are healthier, more creative, and way more productive.
- Share in the decision-making process
- Provide more information into the organization
- Be consistent with recognitions and rewards
- Communicate one-on-one more often with team members
- Take time to Celebrate/Play
Share in the decision-making process: Bring employees together to bounce off ideas. Let them help in the strategic planning process -for example- product development or reaching new goals. Leaving them out of the bigger picture creates a negative and unwelcoming environment. Leaders want employees to fit in and to feel as though they belong. Listening and working with their ideas brings value to their life and builds respect.
Provide more information into the organization: By providing updates about the company, employees take ownership and feel as though they are part of a bigger picture -and a bigger family. Loyalty evolves; they are more aware of the grand scheme of things and begin to feel more responsible and take pride in their performance. The more you connect people with another person or project, the more educated and attached they become.
People who feel important tend to work at a higher level of confidence and leaders are ones that can make that happen.
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Be consistent with recognitions and rewards: That which is recognized is repeated! People love to be acknowledged, so do it! Let them feel good about themselves. This is motivation at its best. Provide incentives and praise and they’ll work harder for you. Imagine someone outwardly thanking you for something you did. The compliment is meaningful -you feel good and likely to repeat the activity. When achievements are acknowledged, people will outperform them every time.
Communicate one-on-one more often with team members: Take time to engage in physical conversations with individuals in your department or team. People want to feel important and showing them attention makes them feel valued. If it’s their birthday or anniversary, give them a handwritten card. People who feel important tend to work at a higher level of confidence and leaders are ones that can make that happen.
Time to Celebrate/Play: Leaders who celebrate and play with team members -in a respectful atmosphere and manner- develop a special rapport. Leaders are approachable, revered, and make deeper connections. Leaders get to see team members in a different light -and vice versa. Social activities and community volunteerism builds trust -which is a leaders’ dream. “If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.” –Zig Zigler. As a leader, you want your team to do business with you.
Turn learning opportunities into a positive experience. When leaders focus longer on positive situations and shorter on the negative ones, spirits are lifted allowing creative juices to flow. When people feel comfortable at work, production increases and collaboration occurs. Upbeat attitudes are contagious; they have a positive influence over others, and they infiltrate the department. By lessoning tension in the workplace employees are more at ease and actually contribute more to the workload, often extending a helping hand.
Happy employees thrive at work and keep the momentum of production going. Not only do they leave with more energy for family and other social activities, they come to work in the morning raring to go.
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Photo: Flickr/Lars Plougmann
Hey Tamilyn! Thanks for the article. I agree with all of these. Although I might have applied these concepts as a shift runner at Dominos Pizza, the results were the same. Because I recognized those who did well and made decisions with the whole team, people seemed to like me more and work harder as well. Celebration is especially important. It gives everyone something to look forward to, and it makes you more human — not some robot working for a corporation. People like to work for/with someone who cares for the team and not just themselves. Great article, keep… Read more »
Don’t hog all the money for yourself whether they are salary, bonuses, stock options, etc.