Recently, I overheard a conversation that kind of hit a nerve. I heard someone say, “work shouldn’t be fun; that’s why it’s called work.” I couldn’t believe someone would roll over and accept 8-10 hours of misery five days a week. It makes no sense, partly because happy people work better but mainly because work is just a part of life and life should be as fun as possible.
This got me thinking. How can entrepreneurs and leaders create happier working environments? It’s in their best interests to do so because a happy culture will attract top talents, breed creativity, stop turnover from getting too high and make people love coming to work. You’ll have the sort of office that pops up on Instagram under #MondayMotivation. How cool is that?!
So, without further ado, here are some amazing ways you can make your office culture fifty shades of happy and enjoy the benefits of having happy employees!
Give ‘Em A Little Hello
It takes a fraction of a microsecond to say hi to people, but it will go a super-long way in making a workplace happier. Your employees want to feel happy at work, so give them a big old high five in the morning and back it up with the sort of smile that says, “Damn I’m happy you are here.”
Praise Your People
The moment someone feels underappreciated at work, they start searching for jobs elsewhere. That’s the number one reason people leave a job. Not low pay, not the lack of vacation time, not the poor flexibility on offer. Underappreciated. So stop waiting for review days and start praising people. In public. With enthusiasm. Because why not?
Think About Them More
The more you can think about your employees from their point of view, the better chance you’ll have of making them happy. People want to work somewhere with life and soul, so have music on and put houseplants everywhere. They want to work somewhere safe and not have to consider visiting www.hugheylawfirm.com/ out of fear of what might happen. Employees want to work for a company that values the importance of a good work/life balance. They want to be in an office where that Friday feeling is celebrated. They are only human after all.
Hire Happy People
Happiness spreads happiness. It’s infectious. Utterly irresistible. So when you are posting your job descriptions, specify that happy souls are welcome. Look for people with an infectious laugh and a dazzling sense of humor and watch as it ripples throughout your office. More optimism, more happiness, and higher spirits mean better productivity and motivation. That should be enough to make you review your hiring requirements.
Creating a Happy Work Environment
Work doesn’t – and shouldn’t – be miserable! You spend most of your time with your work family, so be sure that you are hiring the right people that will make your business thrive with success and happiness. Remember: happy people work better!
