Every business owner knows that employees can be the difference between success and failure. Not only do you want to keep them happy and motivated, but you also want to build employee productivity and find the hidden talents of each person.
This is a very challenging task when your team is all over the country working with different tasks on different projects. So what is the best way to keep your employees motivated and improve retention?
Home Environment
The best way to do this is by creating an office culture that feels like a home environment. If your employees feel like family, they will work harder for you, and your company will be more successful.
Employers can help create this home-like environment by providing flexible work arrangements and other benefits that make working from home more appealing.
According to the FlexJobs study, flexible work schedules are one of the top reasons people choose to work from home. Almost half (46%) say they want greater freedom over when and where they work; another 41% want more time with family and friends, and 38% want less travel or expenses.
Here are three ways to create a home-like atmosphere in the office:
- Have regular team lunches or dinners at restaurants or in the office. Make sure everyone is involved, even if they don’t eat with the group, so they feel like they’re part of something special.
- Hold weekly happy hours where employees can get to know each other better and have fun doing it.
- Host holiday parties and celebrations throughout the year that include all employees, not just certain groups or teams within your business
More Engagement
The way we work is changing. Millennials are looking for more than a job; they want a sense of belonging. They don’t just want to go to work and go home. They want to be part of a community and feel that their workplace is their home away from home.
They crave a place where they can be themselves, innovate, and collaborate with their friends and colleagues. They want to be proud of the company they work for and its values, culture, and mission. And most importantly, they want to contribute to something bigger than themselves something that will impact the world.
An employer has a responsibility to create an environment that supports this kind of engagement. To attract top talent in today’s competitive marketplace, employers need to offer employees more than just a paycheck; they need meaningful experiences that connect them with their peers and the people who use their products or services every day.
Better Work Ethic
If you provide a great workplace, it will translate into better work ethic and morale. Nearly 40 percent of employees say they would take a pay cut to work for a company with a positive culture.
Here are some ways to make the most of the space where you live and work:
- Provide free food and snacks. Employees will be happier if they don’t have to worry about their next meal or snack break during their working day. They might even be willing to stay later if there’s nothing else on their minds except getting the job done well.
- Offer flexible hours and telecommuting options. This allows employees who may not live far from the office or don’t need transportation from home more time to spend with friends or family in the evening. It also gives people who live outside of town an opportunity to keep their current jobs while continuing their lives elsewhere without having any major disruptions in their daily routine or responsibilities at home or on campus.
Offer them a Home rather than a Hotel for their projects
Even if you have a short or a long term assignment, employees feel more connected when they have a place they go back to that is homely. Hotels have a soul-less experience, lack a sense of community and don’t feel warm. Anyone’s resting time is sacrosanct, so why not give them a place that makes them recharged and ready to take on the job.
At helloarrive our motto has been to create just that kind of experience. Our fully furnished, move-in-ready apartments take the hassle away from you and your employees to struggle for a place you would really like to return. We have furnished our apartments with the most modern amenities and take care of all essentials including kitchen and bathroom and have utilities set up. All your employees need to do is Arrive!
A Committed and Invested Employee
If you want to create a workplace engagement culture, you need to provide employees with an environment that fosters it. The same holds true for companies looking to attract top talent.
The benefits of creating an engaged workforce are numerous:
- Higher productivity. Employees who are engaged are more likely to be productive and satisfied on the job, which means they tend to do their best work and stick around longer. Further, engaged employees can help foster a positive company culture by sharing their knowledge and helping new hires get acclimated all of which can boost overall productivity in the long run.
- Improved customer service. If employees are engaged, they’re more likely to go above and beyond when it comes to customer service. They’ll feel more invested in meeting your customer’s needs, which will help ensure repeat business and referrals from existing customers and new ones who notice the difference.
- Companies that encourage workplace engagement tend to see higher revenue growth than those where employees feel disengaged or unimportant, according to research from Gallup’s State of the American Workplace report series.
Summary
Choosing to embrace a better, more flexible culture doesn’t have to be hard. All it takes is some forward thinking and the will to adapt. If you think your employees would be better off without a hotel experience, we encourage you to build a place they can call home and offer them a real home for their unwinding.
