A successful business depends on good employees. In order to thrive, a business must have a motivated workforce and improve company culture.
Nowadays, most of the entrepreneurs seek to improve the relations with their employees. It’s only natural – workers are not just a means to an end, but they are also a part of the family, so to speak.
Motivation brings out the best in employees, more productivity, better efficiency and more interest in the job altogether.
Needless to say, motivation will be greatly beneficial for both the employer and the employees.
Company culture will affect your companies reputation and more as millennials now make up a more substantial part of the workforce. They demand a decent work environment.
Not to mention that whenever one company’s culture becomes toxic, there are companies elsewhere that have bean bag chairs in the lounges and catered lunches. So here are some creative ways to boost team morale and motivate your employees:
How to Improve Company Culture
1. Workspace Upgrade
Imagine coming to work and not feeling frustrated about it.
Improving work environment and work conditions is one of the ways to make “coming to work” more enjoyable.
Most of the people have seen all those box-shaped workspaces in a crowded office, with phones ringing, people chattering, and some manager yelling in the distance.
The level of stress in that environment is through the roof. This type of workspace should be avoided at any cost.
A work environment that is adjusted to the needs of the employees is the way to go. Give them space, let them decorate that space as they like. It will make them feel more comfortable, and they will appreciate it more than you realize.
2. Respect
There’s this saying “respect is earned, not given”, that goes without question in most situations, but sometimes you must give to get. In order to improve company culture and maintain a good relationship with your employees, you must respect them as individuals.
Offer sincere praise for a job well done and offer to help them if they have any problems. In return, your employees will feel more valued and respected, and they will also respect you.
When employees receive appreciation for their accomplishments, they will be more motivated and more productive.
3. Your Employees Well-Being
Knowing that you care for their well-being will motivate your employees. Most of the work nowadays involves sitting at a desk for hours.
You can equip workers’ offices with an adequate commercial fitout. A height-adjustable table, for example, is good for the spine, as it suffers the most when it comes to sitting all day.
Encourage your employees to work out and exercise during the breaks – after all, it’s good for their health.
Create a fitness area that they can use whenever they want. It will help them relieve stress and vent all the negativity.
4. Open Communication
Always have an open communication with your employees. An “open door policy” means that employees can communicate with you about everything.
That way you can get to know them better and resolve any issues or dilemmas your workers might have. If your employees know they can talk to you freely, they won’t be bogged down by problems that will hold them back. Instead, they will be more relaxed and motivated – knowing that any problem they have can be sorted out.
Read also: How to Build Strong Relationships with Your Employees
5. Have space for your staff to express their feelings.
Embracing open communication is great, but the struggle that every company experiences with their culture is division.
Whether it’s the division of departments, functions, or management v. non-exempt staff, a division is the destroyer of any good company culture.
To create a forum for every employee you need to take the ideal situation and moderate it for the likelihood of unintended mishaps. While creating an entirely open floor where anyone can speak their mind is a great idea, someone will take advantage and say inappropriate or hurtful things.
Instead of taking that risk, try this! Create a living message or comment board, full of insightful notions of appreciation and quotes regarding hardship or strife.
How does this work and what will you need? On a leaf, apple or another template that fits in with your motif, write out a few words that offer a blanket feeling or statement.
Some offices have used candy (for the sweet) and grapes (to express sour feelings).
You might use comments such as:
- “I feel my words are heard, but no action is taken.”
- “Thank you for making the appropriate changes.”
- “Remember that workplace culture depends on personal growth and professional development.”
Then display every “comment” available in front of the wall. Employees may walk by and hang their pre-written comments without fear of offending anyone, or that their boss will think they’re uselessly complaining.
Sometimes, a person needs to let out that they feel that something didn’t work out the way they were hoping.
Not every complaint is a call to action, just the same way that not every compliment leads to a promotion.
Have space for your staff to express their feelings. You can take the information and run with it from there.
6. Define and identify company value.
This doesn’t sound new, exciting or creative at all, but wait! It’s another great way to improve company culture and boost team morale.
Most companies have the “company values” emblazoned on the walls in various shades of green, blue, or red.
But, does your company do more than merely lay claim to their values? Who at your work sets an example of how your company hopes to operate?
Set up voting booths for your staff to vote on who best embodies each of your companies’ values.
Let people write in who is “most dependable” or “most committed” or whatever your company holds in high regard.
By allowing people to write in who they believe fits the bill, you can not only declare a winner by majority vote but also keep an eye on your other shining stars.
Everyone appreciates acknowledgment for how they fit into the company’s bigger picture.
7. Get employees involved in the business.
One of the best ways to really motivate your employees is to involve them in more business strategies and plans, and also be more engaged when it comes to your employees and their activities.
Set clear goals for your workers, and let them choose the best way to achieve those goals. Celebrate by throwing a party for reaching a business milestone.
Ask them for their ideas and opinions on important business decisions. Join them for a lunch in the canteen or take the team out for lunch elsewhere.
Encourage group thinking and teamwork in order to motivate your workers to find the best solutions to any obstacle.
Make sure you reward your employees for good progress, it will inspired them to keep up the good work they are doing and it enhances company culture.
Don’t criticize them in front of their coworkers if they do something wrong. After all, you want to motivate your employees and not weaken their confidence.
8. Reassess the processes and workplace regularly.
With processes and procedures in place, a workplace can quickly be overburdened with monotony and resentment.
But what happens when you’re given a chance to break these systems or improve them? Company culture should ring through every step of employment from hiring to retiring.
We propose a “Make or Break Day” where you can allow your staff to question and suggest improvements to current processes.
Often employees feel that their words fall on deaf ears while their complaints may give you valuable insight into a broken process.
One example solution is to use online recruiting software to save your recruiters time pouring over resumes and applications that come in from at least 5 different websites.
The only rule: you must have a solution.
Simple complaining doesn’t do any good, but you’ll be surprised at how many people come forward with creative and innovative solutions to problems you may have been trying to fix for a while now.
FInal words
You can do a lot to increase your employees’ motivation and improve company culture, and it won’t hurt you in the slightest. Small tokens of appreciation and random acts of kindness can go a long way, when it comes to employer-employee relationship.
Some business owners hate to admit it, but the fact is that workers carry out most of the business projects. In the end, it’s in your best interest that your workers are happy and satisfied.
About The Author
This is a guest post by Stacey Cooper, a business consultant and a contributor on bizzmark blog, with interests in small business, finances and green business.