Increasing productivity and employee motivation has always been one of the most important things in the office. After all, your employees are what make your business. Without them, you don’t have the growth or success that you’re working so hard for. You might be the one with the means and ideas, but they’re the ones with the knowledge and skill to carry out your vision. To make sure your employees’ motivation stays at an all-time high, you’ll need to pay attention to a few key factors.
1. Give feedback
Feedback may just be the most valuable thing that you can give your workers. The biggest problem with giving feedback, though, is that most offices focus only on criticizing. It’s okay to tell someone what they did wrong, but it’s better if you also have a way to help them improve. As well as that, there’s a difference between saying something out of the person’s best interest and saying it to make them feel bad.
All your criticism should be delivered in an objective tone and followed by a plan on how the employee should improve. As well as that, don’t forget to tell your staff what they’re doing well. Encouraging positive behaviour is as effective for their motivation and happiness as eliminating negative behaviour is. People respond much better to criticism when their hard work and success is recognized alongside with it. A simple pat on the back can be enough to give someone enough motivation to nail the whole week ahead.
2. Take care of their health
Employee health is extremely important. It’s very simple when the basic human needs are met, we’re capable of doing things we thought were out of our reach. It’s your job to make sure that the environment is safe and clean and doesn’t increase the risk of disease. Hiring a cleaning crew to take care of the office is a great way to keep the premises clean and well-kept. Not only is it more comfortable working in an environment where you can touch any surface without fear and which smells nice, but the chances of pest infestations are minimal.
As well as that, you should make sure that your employees get enough daylight. Being cooped up in an office under artificial lights all day is the number one cause of eye problems and severe headaches. On top of that, it’s much harder to focus and motivation sinks lower as the day goes on. With big windows, your employees get enough vitamin D, feel more energized, and suddenly have all the motivation in the world to nail their assignments.
Some offices take it a step further and make sure their employees work out and get regular massages, too. In this case, an office gym or at least treadmill desks could be a good idea. Spa treatments and massages could be a part of a reward system which will boost both motivation and health.
3. Give them a way to relax
Office work can be very stressful and straining. In fact, even though it seems to be one of the easiest types of work out there, it’s actually very mentally draining. Dealing with people, staring at a screen, and completing lots of challenging tasks tends to take away a lot of mental energy. Your employees definitely need a break and a way to relax if you want productivity to stay at an all-time high throughout the whole day.
The break employees have during the work day should, therefore, be used efficiently. You’ll need to think of the design of the break room long and hard. For example, it would be nice to include a mini fridge where people can store their lunch. As well as that, a coffee machine is very useful for replenishing energy. To get rid of the tension that accumulates in the neck and shoulders from sitting down all day, you can always add one of Inada Massage Chairs to the room, too. With these items, your employees will be physically and mentally rejuvenated and ready to continue their work day with all they got.
4. Encourage social interaction
People are biologically social beings who thrive on contact with others. Isolating your employees and making them do everything by themselves will, therefore, increase stress and bring about feelings of loneliness. This is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve to reach maximum productivity. With feelings of sadness and loneliness come distraction and demotivation. One of the best ways to counter these feelings and encourage social interaction is with the open floor concept design.
Cubicle offices are simply outdated and don’t work anymore. No one wants to be closed off between four plastic walls anymore. People ache for the kind of interaction you can only get when you’re sitting next to or across someone. Thus, desks should be put together to allow interaction and encourage collaboration. If you want your employees to really get on well, you can even start introducing more group projects.
Another classic way to encourage interaction is to place a water cooler in the office. Water cooler talk isn’t just a myth. When they step away from their screens, employees will want to exchange a few friendly words with their coworkers. Soon, the ice will be broken, and you’ll have an office full of friendly faces instead of strangers.
Conclusion
If your employees’ needs are met, they’ll be more motivated and happier to fulfil their work duties and tasks. It’s your job as an employer to provide the ideal environment for your people to thrive in. After all, the office is like a second home to most, so you might as well make it comfortable and laid-back. With stress lurking around every corner, why not give your employees a healthy basis for dealing with it? There won’t be anything stopping them from tackling every work challenge in front of them when the conditions are optimal.
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