How to Keep Employees Happy

Ensuring that your employees are happy and productive is important to the success of your business. Whether you are a major corporation or a small shop, the costs of hiring and training new staff members are often higher than the costs of investing in and retaining your current employees. In order to attract and keep the best workers in the labor force, employee satisfaction should be a priority. Keep employees happy by finding out what helps them feel like they are part of a team and contributing to the success and greater purpose of the company.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Listening to Your Employees

1
Take an employee satisfaction survey. This can be done anonymously and voluntarily. Invite your employees to share what they like and dislike about their jobs and their work environment.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Ask questions like, “Do you feel you have the tools and resources necessary to do your job?” or “Does your work give you a personal feeling of accomplishment?” or “Are you satisfied with your involvement in decisions that affect you personally at work?” or “What might we change to increase employee satisfaction?”
- Pay attention to the survey results. There might be some things you cannot do anything about right now, such as providing raises or better benefits. However, pay attention to the things that will cost nothing, such as a dress code that includes casual Fridays. Either way, make sure you follow up with your employees’ feedback so they stay updated about any progress.
- Continue to invite suggestions from employees. A suggestion box can go a long way in keeping your staff feeling like they can provide ideas for a more positive working environment.
2
Hold regular reviews. Even if a salary increase only comes annually, supervisors and managers should provide performance reviews at least every few months. This gives your employees a chance to engage with you about their performance on the job and how they feel about working there.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceHarvard Business ReviewOnline and print journal covering topics related to business management practicesGo to source}
- Praise the staff who are doing well. Hearing they are doing good work will motivate your best employees and keep them happy.
- Conduct weekly one-on-one meetings with your employees to help encourage open communication so they can discuss what’s going well for them and what they think could use improvement. That way, you’re less likely to get surprised at a regular performance review.
- If an employee is doing well, try saying something like, “We are very pleased with your overall performance, especially in such and such area.”
- If you feel an employee needs to improve in a certain area, handle the situation delicately by telling them, “We appreciate all of the hard work you’re doing here at the company, especially regarding your increasing sales. But we believe that the company would benefit if you paid more attention to tracking the invoice.”
3
Communicate openly. Your employees will be happy when they are getting accurate information directly from the company. They do not want to hear about news or developments from the media, your competition, or other people.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Hold regular meetings or send out newsletters informing employees about important company changes – whether related to business or internal policies.
- If your company is planning a merger with another company, hold a meeting in which you inform your employees. You don’t want them to hear about it from sources outside of management. Telling them personally what is going on will also help allay any fears they may have regarding their job stability with the upcoming changes.
- Say something like, “We wanted to let you know that some company-wide changes are happening in the near future that we are very excited about.” Provide some specific details and allow time for questions.
4
Include employees any time policy reviews are made. Staff will be happier if they feel like they have input when it comes to making changes or improvements in the way the business is run.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Invite a few employees to work with your benefits department during open enrollment. This will help you provide benefits that everyone appreciates and that truly reflects the interests of the employees.
- Recruit employees from all levels to serve on committees. Engage your staff when it comes to strategic planning, holiday planning, hiring, and annual reviews.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating a Positive Environment

1
Establish predictable and consistent schedules and routines. This is especially important when you have employees who do shift work, such as at factories or hospitals.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Keep employees on a single shift, either day or evening, and rotate the number of weekends and holidays that people are required to work. No employee is going to be happy if she has to work on Christmas every year or every Saturday night shift.
2
Encourage a creative and pleasant environment. People will appreciate displaying family pictures or their kids' artwork in cubicles. Simply request that they keep it professional.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Being able to customize their space will help your employees feel like they belong there and that the management wants them to feel comfortable while they are at work.
- You might also consider enacting other office-wide perks that can increase employees’ satisfaction like allowing a more casual dress code on one day per week.
3
Train managers and supervisors to exhibit the desired company culture. To maintain a positive environment, it is important to make sure that your managers and supervisors understand the company culture and know-how to help individual employees reach established work standards and competence. Include a section in your employee onboarding to discuss the company’s core values, purpose, and how each staff member contributes to achieving them. Make sure that your managers and supervisors are people-oriented, not process-oriented.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Communicate with the rest of your team when you have a new hire so they know about the new employee's start date, background, and what position they’ll work.
- Make sure the managers and supervisors are all on the same page about the company’s goals, objectives, and management expectations so they don’t confuse your employees.
4
Trust your employees. Most human resource professionals agree that employees do not like to be micromanaged. Allow them to do their jobs and trust that they will do good work.^{[8]XTrustworthy SourceHarvard Business ReviewOnline and print journal covering topics related to business management practicesGo to source}
- You can supervise your employees’ work without making them feel like you are constantly looking over their shoulder and waiting for them to make a mistake.
- Give your employees the responsibility they need to complete their tasks. If you assign an employee a job, don’t keep checking in on them about their progress or double-checking their work after every step they complete.
- Create specific and measurable goals for each employee role to eliminate the need for micromanaging and teach employees what needs to be done to be successful.
5
Promote work and life balance. Employees are happy when their employers understand their responsibilities and lives outside of work.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Introduce flexible working schedules. Some of your staff might work better in the mornings but mentally check out by 3:00 p.m. Others work better later in the day.
- Make it easy for employees to work from home when they need to. Caring for a sick child or staying home during a snowstorm instead of fighting their way into the office will keep employees a lot happier, especially if they can stay on top of their work while at home.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Demonstrating Employee Appreciation

1
Provide gifts and giveaways when you can. Some companies offer concert or sports tickets to their employees. Others hold drawings for restaurant gift cards. These kinds of perks can go a long way in making your employees feel satisfied at work.^{[10]XResearch source}
- This can also be a fun way for employees and management to interact and create stronger bonds.
2
Bring food. People respond well to food encouragement. Show your employees you appreciate them by providing them with a little refreshment on the company’s dime every now and then.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Consider bringing in bagels for breakfast once a week, or hosting a pizza lunch for high performing departments once a month.
3
Encourage your employees to socialize. A great way to make sure your employees are happy is to make sure they are creating bonds with their colleagues at work. Facilitate this kind of social engagement between coworkers by hosting company events.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Host a happy hour, hold a company picnic in the summer, and celebrate the holidays as a team at the end of the year.
4
Promote professional development. Whether you provide tuition reimbursement or a chance to train for a new role, employees who see opportunities for growth within a company are more likely to be happy and stay where they are.^{[13]XResearch source}
- Happy employees stay at jobs longer than unhappy ones, which will save your company money in the long run.
- Consider offering professional training courses, management grooming opportunities, or options to transfer departments/locations more easily.
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Expert Q&A

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Question
How do you make angry employees happy?
Amber Rosenberg, PCC
Pacific Life Coach
Amber Rosenberg is a Professional Life Coach, Career Coach, and Executive Coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the owner of Pacific Life Coach, she has 20+ years of coaching experience and a background in corporations, tech companies, and nonprofits. Amber trained with the Coaches Training Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Amber Rosenberg, PCC
Pacific Life Coach
Expert Answer
If conflict arises in the workplace, don’t shy away from it. Encourage employees to work things out and resolve their conflicts productively.
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How can I be a proactive manager instead of a reactive manager?
Amber Rosenberg, PCC
Pacific Life Coach
Amber Rosenberg is a Professional Life Coach, Career Coach, and Executive Coach based in the San Francisco Bay Area. As the owner of Pacific Life Coach, she has 20+ years of coaching experience and a background in corporations, tech companies, and nonprofits. Amber trained with the Coaches Training Institute and is a member of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
Amber Rosenberg, PCC
Pacific Life Coach
Expert Answer
People have a tendency to jump when they feel threatened or under attack and they get defensive. So taking a step back whenever an employee does something wrong and think about how you can address the behavior productively without making the employee feel attacked. Then, make sure that you communicate clearly with your team whenever you want something done a certain way. You won't need to react to anything if everyone is on the same page.
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Tips

Show genuine care for your employees and their needs so they can feel comfortable coming to you if they have any problems or concerns.^{[14]XResearch source}
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Remember to lead by example. Your employees need to see a happy and productive management team in order to be happy themselves.
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