It’s one of the most common business problems that delay growth and affect year-end bottom line, but it’s also one of the most overlooked issues.

5 ways to keep your employees happy and satisfied

Employee retention is positively correlated with job satisfaction.

If your employees work in a cesspool of negativity, tension, and stress on a daily basis, it won’t be long before they burn out and resign.

Here are five ways to make sure that doesn’t happen.

1. Involve them

Making them sit at a desk 40 hours a week is, unfortunately, not the level of involvement that encourages employees to stay.

Involve your employees in the decision-making process.

Ask for feedback regarding certain changes that you plan on making, whether it’s switching suppliers or redesigning a product line.

Engaging your employees can make them feel like they’re an actual and integral part of the company and not just mindless drones that do the company’s bidding.

2. Promote from within

A lot of companies make the crucial mistake of hiring outside people to fill managerial positions instead of promoting existing employees who have been under the company’s wing for years.

If there is an open position for an executive or supervisor or senior developer or whatever prestigious upper-level position is available, look at your existing workforce first.

Do you have anyone who’s already on board who can fill the role?

The transition will be much easier and less costly for the company if you hire an existing employee since they already know how things work.

3. Use a strategic approach

Trying to win over everyone’s hearts can be tedious and costly for your business.

Instead of going around, asking for people’s unbiased opinions about the company, use a strategic approach to track your workforce’s job satisfaction and implement ways to improve it.

For example, using a 360 degree feedback tool renders a holistic perspective of an employee by collecting data from their supervisors, coworkers, and performance reports.

Compared to traditional and outdated performance reviews, this feedback system provides a complete view of an employee.

In addition, the tool tends to be more accurate in assessing employee strengths and weaknesses and developmental techniques that can improve it.

4. Show them you respect them

As mentioned earlier, employees want to be recognized as more than just mindless drones that do your bidding.

They want to feel respected and individually important to the business’ overall health.

72 percent of employees who responded to the survey said that they value respect for all workers, regardless of position in a company.

So how do you show your employees that you respect them?

This can be done through simple gestures of asking them how their day is going or giving them compliments and praise whenever they accomplish something that helps the business.

Sitting down with your employees for a one-on-one talk about their job satisfaction also suggests to them that you value their opinions and experiences.

5. Foster an exciting work environment

Convert your offices into a vibrant and hip workplace where people can do more than just work.

Traditional office floor plans are outdated and simply ineffective when it comes to boosting workplace productivity and employee retention.

Take a page from the playbook of some of the largest and most successful technology companies out there, like Google and Amazon, whose office spaces are a roller coaster ride short of being Disneyland.

Think of amenities as a long-term investment for your business, whether it’s a larger break room, a new espresso maker, a pinball machine, or more luxurious and ergonomic chairs and equipment.

Final thoughts

Keeping your employees happy and satisfied might sound costly, but it’s actually the more affordable solutions.

If your business keeps hiring and retraining people every few months or so, revenues and growth rate will suffer.

Keep in mind that there are other ways to prevent employees from jumping ship, such as offering regular pay raises, starting traditions like Pizza Friday, and helping them further their career through online education.

What do you think? Have you tried any of the tips above? What tips have been effective at your workplace? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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