As a business owner, you know how important it is to keep employees happy. Productivity, after all, is achieved when everyone in the office feels like they are doing valuable work. But even as modern workplaces are changing for the better, there is still some space left for innovation and creativity.
Stress is a major game killer. Allowing it to affect your employees’ health can pull your productivity down and demoralize the organization. That’s why in 2020, you should be focusing on making the workplace even less stressful and creating a healthy environment that won’t give employees a good reason to leave.
Here are a few things you might want to try out:
1. Give the office a major renovation
When was the last time you gave the office a major makeover? For sure, gray paint and minimalistic motifs can make a workplace feel dull and depressing, so you might as well change the color palette into something more lively and dynamic. You might also blend modern design elements with vintage ones to create a highly engaging environment.
2. Demolish those cubicles
Still think that your employees are better off working in cubicles? You might want to think this through. Studies suggest that isolating employees in cubicles can hurt workplace morale, encourage unhealthy competition, and cause the onset of depression and career dissatisfaction. One way to improve these situations, according to Novel Coworking, is to build dynamic workstations that let employees work comfortably to their liking. Shared tables, countertops, and lounges are great for people who feel more empowered when they are not forced to sit at a desk surrounded by walls.
3. Add plants and warm lighting
The ambiance of the workplace is a big factor for encouraging employee engagement and productivity. Aside from changing the workstations and fixtures, you might also want to set a more relaxed tone by adding indoor plants that are known to relieve anxiety and tension. Look along the lines of succulents, ferns, and cacti. You can also consider swapping your lights with those that have a warmer glow. These will certainly result in a workplace that’s bound to lower stress levels.
4. Maintain an open-door policy
One way you can demotivate your employees is making yourself unreachable. It gives them the impression that you have no desire to talk about their concerns or hear their thoughts on how to improve the workplace. If there’s one way you can get great ideas for maintaining a highly productive and engaging office, it’s an open-door policy that lets you look for improvements from your employees’ perspective.
5. Increase employee engagement
When it comes to events outside the workplace, don’t organize company gatherings just for the sake of it. Put some extra leg work and focus on making these events memorable and engaging for your employees. Work with HR to come up with effective team-building activities that are fun and, at the same time, promote healthy cooperation.
Of course, leadership is important in every endeavor that aims to build a less stressful work environment. And for sure, investing time and money on such crucial improvements as those listed above can also spare you from stress. A happy workplace is definitely one that’s easier to manage, so take note of the tips above to keep your employees at their happiest and most productive.