Alexis Khazzam, Peoria businessman, on Making Employees Happier

Studies have shown that being happy tends to make a person more productive in their worklife. That being said, employers should be seriously considering what moves they are making to ensure their employees happiness. What are some ways that employers can develop happy employees?

Use Non-Cash Rewards

When thinking of rewards for your employees, a cash bonus is typically the first thing that comes to mind. Employees will appreciate that of course, but it is too generic for them to feel truly valued. Because they will probably end up using the money on something like groceries or gas, they likely won’t be making the connection between the reward and the company. Non cash incentives are more memorable for employees, and make them feel more appreciated by their company.

Be Transparent

Employees appreciate transparency in the workplace. Being candid with your team can go a long way. What are some ways to enforce transparency? Having weekly meetings offers a platform for gathering employee input, in turn helping team members feel a sense of purpose. Make sure that transparency is a core value in your company and exude it daily. If there is going to be a shakeup up the company, be sure to keep everyone in the loop. In the end, the transparency will build trust in your employees, making them feel satisfied in their position.

Create Experiences

Almost half of the current workforce is Millennials, and Millennials value experiences over monetary items. Plan a night for the office at the ballpark or offer free tickets to a local concert. The events and experiences can be done with team members or the team members can participate in them on their own or with family. Either way, by gaining a positive experience, they will connect that with their feelings about the company and feel happier. When done the right way, an experience can rejuvenate your team members.

Going to work everyday should not feel like a chore. Unfortunately, many leaders don’t understand the direct link between happiness and productivity. By offering non-cash rewards, showing transparency and creating memorable experiences for your employees, you can help to build on the happiness of your employees, and in turn you will have more productive team members working for you!