Whether you are running a logistics company or a technology start-up, one of the focuses for your business will be to create a happy, motivated workforce. Whilst many blogs will tell that work-life balance or office environment are the only ways to encourage a high-performing, fulfilled team, office experts, LondonOffices.com, have compiled a list of the ten things every business owner and manager should take seriously.

Surprisingly, many of the tips provided do not cost a penny to implement.

Chris Meredith, CEO of LondonOffices.com said:

“The average Brit will spend around 81,000 hours, or the equivalent of a full nine years of their lives at work, so it’s important that they’re commuting to a workplace that encourages happiness and positivity.

“For some people, work is just a means to an end, yet for career-driven folk it’s much more than that.
“By following these rules, you can ensure that your employees or co-workers feel happy and motivated, which will in turn encourage them to do their best work – it really is a win-win situation!”
Featured in no relevant order; here are the top ten tips to encourage happiness in work.
Employ happy individuals – One tip was to start with the recruitment process, with hiring happy extroverts having a huge bearing on the tone of an office. With happiness being rather contagious, employing one happy person could also encourage other workers to come out of their shell, becoming more creative with their work tasks and more celebratory of professional successes.
Appraisals – A good ten years ago, employers were very much focused on autonomous workers, wanting employees to understand their tasks and get on with them. However, many research projects have proven that a lack of employer-employee communication can be detrimental to productivity and retention rates. For this reason, constant appraisals and positive feedback is encouraged; seeing people happier knowing they’ve done something worthwhile.
Encourage a selfish workforce – In this age of the Millennial recruiting, personal career goals are incredibly important, with a job being about a lot more than covering the bills. As an employer it is your job to ensure these objectives are considered, giving employees the tools they need to work towards what matters to them.
Trust – When people are micro-managed they can tend to feel under pressure, like they are not trusted by the powers that be. By putting responsibility and trust into an employee, you will inevitably see happiness levels rise, seeing confidence in their own ability.
Get personal with your perks – When we think of work perks, we think holidays and pay, but; there is a lot more you could be doing to incentivise your staff in a personal way. With companies such as Google, Facebook and Apple topping the list of the best places to work, many put this down to their approach to perks. From childcare programmes to health and wellbeing support, Millennials in particular want a lot more than money when to comes to job perks.
Get your hands dirty – Ripping up the rulebook and doing rid of a rigid hierarchy can do wonders for happiness levels in work, with employees liking to see that their boss is not a dictator but a team player. So, whether you are a manager or a Director, make sure you are always relatable and most importantly; approachable.
Promote togetherness– Where many bosses will shun the idea of office relationships and friendships, having friends at work makes the office environment a fun place to be. It is important to promote this ‘togetherness’ on a constant basis. Whether it be team lunches or hosting an event, giving co-workers a chance to connect on a personal level is great for company morale.
Give back as a team – Work charity events are renowned for bringing the team together, allowing employees to feel connected for a worthwhile cause. LondonOffices.com advises business owners to learn about causes that their team cares about; building charity events and fundraisers around that.
Work-life balance – Though this has become a bit of an HR buzzword of later, work-life balance is still very important in building a happy team. Showing that you care about your employees’ wellbeing both inside and outside of the office will see your staff know that they are far from just a number on the payroll.
Create a social office – Gone are the days where offices were stuffy, filled with unapproachable folk that employed a ‘my way or the highway’ policy. If you are looking to work with a positive, happy team, ensure everyone has their say, promoting a social workplace where workers are free to talk.
If you are looking to make additions to your team in the coming months, be sure to contact us at RSW; allowing us to find those happy individuals to brighten up your office.