It’s no secret, happy employees equal productive employees, if you want quality work produced from your staff, it’s important to keep them satisfied.
You will often hear discussion about companies people would love to work for, sometimes this can be down to the actual work that is conducted but more often than not it is down to the perks that business offers.
While no one wants disgruntled employees and we want to create a fun and enticing work environment, not everybody has the budget that some larger companies do have. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t offer perks to your staff.
You don’t need to spend a fortune to lift the spirits of your workforce and sometimes it’s the smaller, simpler things that really make us smile. Always remember, perks are not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ offer, what someone may love, another may see no benefit from.
That’s why it’s important to offer a range of perks for all your employees so all your staff can feel the benefit and your gratitude for their hard work.
Flexi-Hours
Offering flexible hours if becoming increasingly popular and if you want to entice potential team members during recruitment, it is almost becoming an essential.
Overworked and stressed employees can hugely benefit from being able to work flexible hours, especially if they are having to work around other commitments such as family.
By allowing the team to choose their own hours, not only are you allowing them to ease the strain on their own lives, but they will also produce better work as they will not be mentally and physically drained and it can help to reduce any mental health issues.
Exercise Classes
Regular exercise can be beneficial on both the body and the mind. Unfortunately, many of us simply do not have the time to do this.
Set up weekly, fortnightly, or monthly classes that can take place in the office. This can be taught within the workforce or you can hire a professional in.
Yoga is a brilliant way to keep bodies moving while also providing some mental rest from the busy working day.
If you do not have the space in your building, consider organizing running clubs. This could even be done during lunch breaks. Your staff are far more likely to join in for a jog if it’s a team effort and you’ll all soon see the benefits.
Pet-Friendly Spaces
It’s proven that pets help to relieve stress, so why not allow them in the office? There are probably many team members who wish they had a pet of their own but aren’t in a position to do so, being able to be around them at work can always put a smile on someone’s face.
If you don’t want to allow pets in the office everyday, why not allocate a certain day or the week or month when furry friends are allowed?
It can even help in busier periods, some staff may need to work overtime to finish projects but may need to leave to feed or walk the dog. If their pets are already with them, they will not need to worry about them and will therefore reduce stress levels.
Training
While we will always be learning in our roles, there are certainly areas we find more interesting than others and want to better ourselves in.
However, as employers, we don’t always have the time to train to each individual’s needs and wants. Create an online library of courses that have CPD accreditation, this way, staff can pick and choose exactly what they want to learn and choose to do so at their own pace.
It eases the pressure of creating training days for all staff but still provides vital knowledge to those wishing to learn. It provides value to your staff and their new learning experience will affect their daily work life as well.
Make Work Easier
No one is going to turn down an opportunity to make their working day easier, which is why you should implement whatever you can to ease stress and help organize your staff.
The CezanneHR platform can quickly make sense of all the paperwork and different team projects. Instead of having to search through files, scroll through hundreds of emails or constantly chase colleagues for an update, this can organize everything in once concise place.
Wasted man-hours will be reduced from staff having to locate what they need, while making their daily lives easier. If you are offering flexible working hours or working from home, this is perfect as everything can be accessed remotely.
Dress Down
It’s 2020 and it’s about time we leave the smart dress code alone. Everybody wants to feel comfortable at work and a stuffy suit isn’t going to provide that.
Allow staff to dress down in your office. You can still set rules to keep everyone presentable for visiting clients, such as no tracksuits or unkempt clothing.
It can also help you attract new talent, new graduates are seeking their desired work culture more than salary and job title. A relaxed dress code can seal the deal with many.
Summer Hours
There’s nothing worse than being stuck behind your desk on a sunny afternoon. While we can’t offer a full summer holiday to our employees, summer hours are the next best thing.
We need to make the most of the sun in the UK as we never know how long it’s going to last. Allowing reduced hours on Fridays or particularly nice days between gloomier spells can actually increase productivity.
Your staff are more likely to work harder at the beginning of the day when knowing they have a shorter amount of time to complete their tasks.
Chill Out Areas
We all need a place to shut off from the world for a few minutes. An important meeting, demanding client phone calls or just a generally stressy day will lead to staff needing to take some quiet time.
While communal break spaces are important, they don’t provide a relaxing space. Create an area that is allocated to ‘me time’, where staff know it isn’t a palace to socialize. Make sure it is comfortable, speakers with relaxing music or offering books is a great way to implement this.
Food Fridays
Or any other day of the week! We all love food and it tastes even better when it’s free. This can be anything from catered lunches to smaller perks like cakes and donuts.
Allocating a specific day means staff have something to look forward to and they’ll know not to fill up on food brought from home.
If you don’t have the budget, turn it into an event instead. Regular ‘bake offs’ create friendly competition in the workplace and generate some fun.
10.Social Events
You don’t need to put on lavish staff parties to create fun. Smaller social events can be just as exciting.
This could be anything from bowling, the cinema or even just going to the pub. Allow staff to pick what they want to do, not everybody enjoys what you like.
These are a great chance to socialize with team members while doing something a bit different.
It’s up to you to work out what is and isn’t working for your staff, encourage regular feedback from your employees, and alter your perks when needed.
Some of your team may love having dogs in the office, while others may find them a nuisance.
Similarly, software you have installed may be easy for some, while tricky for others, so it is important to implement training to make sure everyone is benefitting. You can find out more about those provided by Cezanne HR here: