A Happy Workplace Takes More Than Cool Furniture
Cool looking furniture is only a part of creating a fun, creative and productive workplace. Happiness in the office trickles down from the top. Here are 6 things you can do to keep your team motivated, fired up and more cheerful.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Respecting your people and their decisions will show them that you consider them valuable and important. This will not only give your associates more confidence, it will also give them a personal reason to value the organization and its success.
Trust
You must trust every member of the team to do their job and do it well. If they see you truly trust them, teammates will trust each other and when that happens, associates will function as one unit, with each player performing their individual job while the team performs at a high level.
Be a Coach – Not a Manager
Outline a vision for the entire team that inspires everyone to achieve it. Every associate should understand that singular mission and the role they play to achieve it. This is the difference between a “company” or a “job” and a “mission” or a “cause”. It’s also a lot better reason to come to work each morning.
Provide Constructive Feedback
Instead of overlooking mistakes, point them out in a positive way so associates can learn. Practice the “10 to 1 rule”. That is, 10 positive comments for every negative comment.
Be Time Flexible
When possible, be flexible with work schedules. If an associate needs time for a personal reason and is willing to work earlier or later to get the job done, do your best to make it happen.
Show Your Appreciation
While a simple “thank you” is often good enough, you should occasionally go beyond words and do things that show your team how much you appreciate them and the work they do. Order pizza in for lunch, bring in a TV to watch March Madness or take a fun “field trip” and give them a chance to let their hair down and have some fun.
Source: Peter Economy | You As Chief Happiness Officer in Six Simple Steps | March 19, 2014 | Inc.com