Recently, we published an article where we explored how to find personal happiness. From making personal connections and being generous to others to holding true to key values, and of course – enjoying a good laugh – we learned the many ways you can cultivate happiness in your own life and choose personal joy. With personal happiness having such close ties to our feelings of energy and natural productivity, boosting your office happiness and boosting your productivity can be one in the same. As a manager, there’s numerous ways you can create a work environment that encourages your employees to cultivate their own personal happiness – and often, it’s the little things that have a big impact.

 

Open Communication

Having an open-door policy can make a world of difference. Allow open questions – regardless of the management level – and keep your employees feeling that their voices are respected, and heard. Opening things up helps your employees know they can trust you and come to you with any issue or question they may have. Studies have shown that workplace satisfaction increases when employees experienced open communication from even the highest management level. When communication lines are open, you’ll show your employees you have nothing to hide and keep them feeling valued within your wider team.
 

Recognise Success

Acknowledging your employees’ success doesn’t mean giving them little stickers and ribbons every time they finish work on time! It’s more than that. It’s acknowledging when your employees reach milestones, achieve new heights, and go above and beyond. As people, we all love recognition for your work, and knowing that hard work is appreciated and even rewarded will be a big motivator to strive to do our best and go that extra mile in our work. It’s not hard to recognize success, either. A public acknowledgment of an individual’s success at a weekly meeting can be all it takes to make employees feel appreciated for their hard work.
 

Respect Your Employees 

This may seem like a no-brainer, but unfortunately, it is not always that way! Employees who are treated with respect and kindness are much more likely to stay with a difficult job than employees who are treated like just another mindless minion. And respecting your employees is not a hard task. If a staff member is going through a difficult time – show your support. Being flexible with someone dealing with a chronic illness or who just had a baby or even helping an employee get to a family funeral are just some of the ways you can treat your employees well, and make them feel like respected members of a team you value.
 

Trust Your Employees

Trusting your employees goes hand in hand with respecting them. Whether this means giving them the freedom to really own a project, giving them a chance to do something new, or just letting them work in peace without checking on them constantly, showing you trust your employees goes a long way. Of course, this may one that’s easier said than done – not because your employees aren’t trustworthy, but because being a manager can mean you’ve developed a healthy sense of uncertainty when it comes to employees in general. But we think it’s important to bite the bullet and give your employees a chance to show you they can be trusted. You’ll find this encourages your team to be satisfied and happy with what they do, instead of anxious about how they’re doing it.
 

Provide a Good Coffee Machine

Too many breakrooms are equipped with the same sad scene – a broken office coffee maker and bad workplace coffee. Many employers skimp on this part of office life, but trust us – don’t! Good coffee made with a high-quality coffee machine is not only motivating for your employees, but it’s also good for their health! Coffee is filled with antioxidants, lessens the risk of numerous health problems, and is great for your liver! Provided it tastes good, coffee is an invigorating way to start your morning (and is probably already a well-entrenched part of your employees’ routines). They’ll love the easy access to the good stuff – and, not having to fight with the coffee maker will be an added bonus. You don’t skimp on your coffee at home! Why would you expect your employees to drink bad coffee?
 

Be Flexible

Sometimes, things are best kept chilled. Flexibility can be a big part of making your team feel respected – treat them like the adults they are! Studies have shown that a flexible schedule not only helps decrease employee burnout, it’s also a big booster of happiness and satisfaction among employees. Every employee wants to be able to properly balance their work and personal life. Having an employer (that’s you!) that works for them to achieve that balance is incredibly motivating! Knowing an employer is not a rigid robot, but rather a human being that understands their employees are human beings goes a long way. Being able to work a flexible schedule can make a big impact to your team’s happiness and satisfaction – keeping them that much more motivated and productive.

 
So, it’s easy… creating a happy work atmosphere can be super simple – and highly effective! Trust, respect, flexibility, and of course – good coffee, go a long way to boosting happiness and motivation in the workplace. The happier your employees, the more energised and inspired they’ll be to do great work – and the better your company will do. Cultivating employee happiness means nothing but benefits for you as a manager!

 
Article by Greg

Greg is a Marketing Manager at 7 Grams Coffee, an office coffee and machine supplier for 300+ offices around Australia. He enjoys hiking, reading and spreading the word about high-quality coffee.

T: @7gramscoffee1