While you might not be a mind reader and know what makes every individual in your organization happy, there are some basic things that you can and should put in place to increase employee satisfaction and loyalty. Happy employees typically are healthy and productive as well, so it makes financial sense to look after them. Below you will find five things you should treat as a business priority if you would like to keep your employees happy.

Empowerment

Believe in the ability of your staff to grow. Without a strong vision and mission in your business, you will not be able to empower and motivate people. Before you would hire your first team member, create a company mission and vision statement and communicate it through various internal channels. If you and your staff are on the same page, and they genuinely feel valued, you will have a greater chance of being successful and a better understanding of how to motivate and empower them.

Bonus and Salary Schemes

Have financial rewards in place, and ensure that your salary structure is competitive in the marketplace. If your total rewards package is not competitive, you will have difficulty attracting and retaining quality employees. Of course, your staff will want to get paid on time, so having reliable payroll services in place is a must have. Employing a team of professionals tasked with payroll administration responsibilities frees you up to focus on developing incentives and other rewards that will encourage your staff to perform at their very best.

Clear Policies

Employees want clear communication from you; therefore it behooves you to have written policies and guidelines. You can’t cut corners when it comes to internal policies, or not only will people abuse them, you risk exposing your business to legal consequences. Don’t leave it to your staff to interpret right from wrong. Clearly define expectations and provide adequate training where necessary. Your brand is at stake and how you want it represented should not be left to guesswork.

Career Plans

Employees are often motivated by their own long-term goals. If you can fulfill those goals via a career development program, they will be more likely to stay with you. If not you, someone from your teams should be tasked with mapping out career goals for your best and brightest talent. Identify what their short and long-term goals are and determine what type of support you can provide to help them achieve them.

Team Spirit and Collaboration

The atmosphere in the workplace will have a significant impact on employee satisfaction. You have to actively seek ways to encourage collaboration and support and build positive work relationships. Arrange meetings, accommodate project management needs across business units, and make sure that everyone is working toward a shared goal.

If you would like to keep your employees happy and content, you have your work cut out for you. Communicate your mission and vision for the organization immediately. Make sure that all of your internal policies are clear and straightforward. Provide training and development plans and have faith in their abilities. Empower them to perform at their highest performance levels. Consistently identify practical ways to motivate your staff in ways that you get the most value from your investment.
The reality is that you need them as much as they probably need you therefore never forget that teamwork does, in fact, makes the dream work.

Good luck!

*collaborative post