How to Create a Fulfilling work Environment for Your Staff

IF morale is low in your workplace, do you just throw money at the problem?

Many bosses do; they assume people are only motivated by money so they try to spend their way out of the problem.

But – while income is clearly a very important part of the work deal – it is increasingly not the primary motivating factor for many workers.

Employees in careers report5 wanting to be happy and fulfilled at work. This does not mean every day has to be a party and no one is held accountable, but it is vital to get the work culture right to have staff who want to be there.

And it pays dividends – literally. Happy workers have been proven time and again to be far more productive than clock watchers who will do what they have to but cannot wait to get out of the building at the end of the day.

It also is not difficult to achieve, and is something you can start doing today to turn your company from a good place to work into a great place to work.

First, recognize success and hard work, and give praise where it is due. It sounds so simple, but feeling effort and hard work goes unappreciated is one of the key reasons people look for a new job. And the cost of hiring and training is far more expensive than some sincere thank you’s. Create simple systems where recognition is built in, and make sure you stick to it. Both formal recognition and impromptu praise should be used together, and make it personal.

Next is fulfillment – us humans have an innate desire to be useful and if we cannot see a point to our tasks it is hard to be motivated to do them well. Make sure your team knows what they are doing and how it contributes to your goals – the very essence of why the company exists and how it helps the world. Show your people why they matter. Because they do.

Perks are great, of course, but make sure they are relevant to your people and actually benefit them. Increasingly, younger workers appreciate flexibility and the work-life balance, paid time off and healthcare – work in these areas rather than discounts for goods and services they do not buy anyway.

Investing in people is also a big boost to people’s happiness at work – helping them achieve their own personal goals and ambitions, even showing them they can achieve far more than they had ever thought. Training costs, but good people cost more to hire – and you get loyalty with investment in growth.

Have fun together – all work and no play is pretty dull. Appropriate team building strengthens relationships and boosts performance – your people do not have to become best friends but if they like and understand each other they will work better together. But do make sure your events are appropriate for your team and not exclusionary.

Help your people be healthy – not only is this obviously better for them but its better for you – healthy workers are more productive, do not call off as much and are happier.

And finally, build trust. Trust is two way – show them you trust them with responsibility and believe in their abilities, and reward success – and show that you have their backs too.

There are many ways to build stronger teams but ultimately people need to want to belong to them - your job is to make your team the place to be.