9 Ways To Keep Your Employees Happy

Without good employees, you can rarely if ever have the kind of entrepreneurial success you want to achieve. As such, you have a good motive for trying to keep bright and talented employees with your company for the long term. They could end up being the leaders of your company in the near future. However, keeping a workforce happy is more difficult than you may first assume. Below are a few strategies to try.

Promote From Within

One of the most important things you can do to keep employees happy is to promote from within whenever possible. This will show your staff that there are opportunities for advancement within the company. It also gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility for the company’s success.

Flexibility

One thing modern workers want from a company is flexibility. You have to consider the fact that employees want a life outside the company. If you are extremely strict with scheduling, for example, and won’t allow employees to take off time for family matters, they may assume your company is a dead-end for them. Flexibility in regards to hours, scheduling, work-from-home setups, and more can be a big deal for people.

Communication

A big part of keeping employees happy is simply communicating with them. If you have a major change happening in the company, such as a merger, downsizing, or new product launch, tell your employees about it. Be open and honest with them. Tell them what the changes mean for the company and their job security. The more you communicate with your employees, the better they will feel about working for you.

Compensation

This is a no-brainer, but you have to pay your employees well if you want to keep them happy. Make sure you are paying comparable to or better than other companies in your industry. You should also provide regular bonuses and raises based on performance. If you don’t compensate your employees fairly, they will eventually leave for a company that does.

Maritz Motivation Type Recognition Services

You may also want to provide actual recognition-centered services in the same vein as the ones offered by Maritz Motivation. This company has developed programs such as Strategic Tenure that are specifically designed to keep employees in the organization for the long term. It also offers a specific recognition and rewards platform called CultureNext. Whatever the case, make sure you have actual programs in place in your organization to provide employee recognition and ensure higher long-term employee retention rates.

Benefits

Long-term employees deserve benefits. If you do not offer any good benefits, expect to have your employees picked off by a company that does. This should obviously include things like health insurance and life insurance. It should include 401k options and other choices for pension plans. It should perhaps include options to buy company stock as well so employees are more invested in the company’s long-term success. Even things like paid meals or free gym memberships can go a long way.

Training and Development

Investing in your employees’ training and development is another way to keep them happy. If you show them that you are willing to invest in their future with the company, they will be more likely to stick around. Offer opportunities for them to attend conferences, seminars, and other professional development events. Pay for them to get certified in areas that will help them excel in their job. If you do this, they will see that you are interested in their career growth, which will make them want to stay with the company for the long term.

Autonomy

Giving employees a certain degree of autonomy can also go a long way toward keeping them happy. If they feel like they have a say in how things are done and that their opinion matters, they will be more likely to stay with the company. This could manifest itself in things like allowing employees to work from home on occasion or giving them more flexible hours. It could also mean letting them take on more responsibility and trusting them to do their job without micromanaging them.

Create a Positive Work Environment

The quality of the work environment on a social and mental level also matters a great deal. If your workplace is deemed toxic due to cliquish and nasty behavior between employees, you’re going to have inflated turnover. Instead, try to create a culture of positivity and collaboration at all levels of your company. This will make employees want to come to work and will keep them from looking for a job elsewhere.

 

Make sure your employees feel like they are part of a team and that their individual efforts contribute to the company’s success. If they feel like they are just another cog in the machine, they will eventually get fed up and leave.

 

Overall, employees will always go where the grass is greener. If you want to lower turnover and boost the retention of your talented workforce, you need to put some effort into it. Creating a positive work environment and offering things like benefits, flexibility, and recognition services can help achieve that. These are just a few of the ways you can keep your employees happy so they stick around for the long term. If you implement these ideas, you should see a decrease in turnover and an increase in employee satisfaction. Do what you can to create a positive work environment and culture where your employees feel valued, appreciated, and supported.