A fun working environment can influence the way employees perform and see the company. Newer startups are beginning to focus on creating a working environment that’s open and filled with lavish facilities to keep employees happy. Some prefer to let employees work from outside the office to keep them happy and productive.
In truth, however, creating a truly fun working environment – one that can help boost productivity to the max – is not as difficult as you may think. These next few tricks we are about discuss in this article will help you get started right away.
Flexible Time
One of the best ways to get started with boosting employee morale and their productivity is by offering flexible hours. Instead of setting the usual 9-to-5 office hours and forcing employees to stick to them, you can actually take a different approach entirely.
Let employees arrive at the office anytime between 7.00 and 10.00 in the morning. All employees have to do is still meet the 8-hour work time requirement and they have complete freedom to start whenever they like.
This may seem like a simple change to make, but it is one that will help boost employees’ morale to the next level. You’ll be surprised to find those arriving early and those arriving later to be just as (if not more) productive during their 8-hour work day.
No More Dress Code
We really don’t need to force employees to wear a certain attire to work anymore; not in today’s modern world. The business landscape has been evolving rapidly these past couple of years, with employees now preferring to stick to the attire they are comfortable with the most when going to work.
Yes, you can still set certain limitations in order to avoid embarrassing wardrobe malfunction at the office; you wouldn’t want your secretary to show up at the office wearing her overly sexy party dress now, would you? Other than a few basic rules, however, you should let employees decide what they want to wear to work.
Having complete freedom with what to wear to work will also help employees grow creatively. The basic rules you put in place will not feel so limiting compared to a strict dress code, allowing them to feel more inspired and much happier as they arrive at the office.
Stimulus for Growth
Every good company must allow their employees to grow and improve themselves. In fact, some of the most successful businesses and startups encourage employees to grow and improve on another level.
You can start by rewarding employees who pursue a higher degree such as an online MBA. An online MBA can help benefit the business and grow the person’s skills and expertise. Top universities such as the New Jersey Institute of Technology are opening up their online MBA programs to more students, so that employees wanting to pursue the master’s degree can do so without leaving their full-time job.
You can also encourage employees to take smaller or shorter courses when you think an online MBA is too much. There are free and premium courses on a wide range of subjects now available online, from tech-related topics to more specific things such as HR and accounting.
Get Them Involved
Next, make sure employees can healthily grow a sense of belonging when they are working for the company. A good way to do this is by letting employees get involved in decision making processes and larger projects.
Instead of using a strict, top-to-bottom management style, for example, you can encourage more employee participation when making bigger decisions. This doesn’t mean letting employees dictate the company entirely. It simply means giving more control to employees on matters that affect them the most.
You can also reward employees who come up with creative ideas that solve problems faced by the company. In a project, for example, those who come forward with solutions or valuable ideas must be rewarded properly. Showing a hierarchy where creative and involved people are rewarded more can greatly boost employees’ morale and productivity.
Lead by Example
Last, but certainly not least, make sure you’re just as productive as they are at work. This is part of the reasons why a lot of newer startups don’t really separate top-management from employees in terms of work area or office space.
Letting the two layers of corporate hierarchy work together in an open space and allowing the two motivate one another can really help get the ball rolling for the company. Boosting productivity and maintaining a pleasant and creative-inducing working environment will be easier than you think.