As a business owner, it’s ultimately your responsibility to ensure that staff are able to feel comfortable and engaged in the workplace. Working from home over the past year has changed the way many of us think about our work lives and as a result, businesses like yours need to work harder than ever before to persuade staff to return to the office and perform at their usual best. Below, we’ve put together some strategies to get you started.
Offer free snacks and drinks
One of the oldest tricks in the book is to incentivise staff to perform well by offering them free snacks and drinks in the workplace. Whether you bring in a box of doughnuts once in a while or you add a coffee machine to the staff room so that your employees can stay motivated and alert, there are lots of ways that food and drink can increase productivity and loyalty, too.
Hire a professional cleaner
If you’re operating a large office and expect staff to keep it clean and tidy, stop! Working with a firm that offers facilities management services and having your premises cleaned from top to toe every day will not only create a safer and cleaner working environment, but it’ll make staff know that you appreciate their hard work. What’s more, the time they’d usually spend on wiping surfaces can be better spent on speaking to clients and growing your business.
Make their space more comfortable
One of the reasons why so many of us enjoyed working from home is because we had more comfort and flexibility than we did in the office. The best way to replicate that at work is by investing in comfortable, ergonomic chairs, spacing out desks so that staff have more personal space, and not looking over them when they’re working. The more relaxed staff feel in the office, the better they’re going to be when it comes to reaching goals and targets.
Let them use social media
Okay, this might sound like a controversial one, but allowing staff to log into their personal Twitter account when they’re on the job can make them feel more engaged and relaxed, and they can keep on top of the latest news and goings-on as they work. Sure, this won’t work for every industry, but it’s definitely something to consider if you’re trying to get on their side.
Consider team-building activities
Finally, think about the benefits of team-building exercises such as days out. Bringing the team together for fun activities like this not only allows them to build stronger relationships but it shows that you care about them as people, not just numbers. There are so many options to consider, from escape rooms and theme park visits to lodge retreats and spa days, so get experimental and consider tying in team-building activities when setting targets; for every £50,000 your team generates in sales, you promise to take them on a day out.
Do you have any other tips? Let us know and check back soon for more.
