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6 ways to create a happy and productive workforce

It’s a business fact that happier, healthier employees are more productive, have fewer days off and are less likely to actively seek other employment opportunities.

Creating a workplace that engenders this is key to success. After all, employees are your biggest advocates.

So just how do managers achieve the seemingly daunting task of keeping employees engaged? Turns out, it’s not as difficult as it sounds.

Here are 6 ways which can help create an engaged workforce:

It’s who you hire, and how you hire

Before you advertise, take time to work out the type of person you need. Do you need extroverts, introverts or a balance of the two? Do you need people who speak their mind or who are diplomatic? Do you need self-starters or people who like to follow a set of rules? Dreamers or pragmatists? Once you’ve found a candidate, get them to relax. We all share more information when we feel comfortable. A great way to help someone relax in a new environment is to grab a coffee before the meeting. This simple and welcoming gesture can pave the way to an open dialogue – perfect for you to assess if they’re right for your company.

Empower employees

Keep your team engaged by empowering them to take responsibility for their work and setting new KPI’s. Give them the autonomy to get the job done in their own unique way. An employee who owns a project will tend to it with more enthusiasm than an employee who simply ‘helps out’. This experiential learning has an amazing ability to develop skills – but only if managers steer clear of micromanaging.

Internal communication

Companies often keep more information under wraps than they need to. Being transparent with employees not only shows that you trust them, it also sends a message that you’re all part of the same team. Weekly team meetings are an effective way to share information and listen to what they have to say. Often the best way is to have them on a Monday morning. These semi-formal sessions can set you up for the week and make sure everyone feels like they’re kept in the loop. Another way to engage with employees is to make time on a regular basis to sit down and simply have a chat. Listen to what they have to say, ask them questions about what’s happening in their life outside of work.

Turn hierarchy into community

A coffee machine is the new office water cooler. The spontaneity of meeting new people breaks down hierarchy – something Millennials say is a key factor when deciding between These friendships encourage staff to share knowledge and learn from each other – rather than just work together.

Sense of purpose

This underpins everything we do – in both our personal and professional lives. Employees thrive in an environment that echoes their values and beliefs. Business leaders know what makes the way they operate, and what they believe in, unique to their competitors. Having a clearly defined mission statement or a set of guiding principles will help attract employees that share your sense of purpose.

Company culture

Arguably the most effective way to create an engaged workforce is to invest in culture. Yes, staff Christmas parties, excursions and free perks such as quality tea, coffee and biscuits are a great way to build morale, but this investment doesn’t need to be purely monetary. Simply showing you care by publicly praising employees when they achieve something goes a very long way. If you want employees to care about their work, you must first show you care about them as people. This also means embracing that productivity is not being tied to a desk or being in a space that simply does not reflect the real world. It’s about having the flexibility to allow employees to work from home or a more casual part of the office, like pods or couches.

Engaged employees are as important to you, as quality coffee is to us. Without one, it’s hard to have the other. Business Insider has identified one perk businesses should provide: coffee.

Coffee isn’t just a beverage. It’s much more than that. It increases productivity, drives collaboration and encourages staff engagement.

If you would like to see how can help keep your employees engaged, feel free to get in touch.

We look forward to meeting you. Perhaps over a cup of coffee?