Happiness in the workplace has become one of the most talked-about issues since Millennials infiltrated corporate workspaces. Employee satisfaction is not only one of the most important facets of running a startup company, but it’s also an integral part of a company’s wellbeing and long-term growth forecast.

Studies have shown that happier workers become more successful employees, and it is no surprise that so many of today’s businesses are taking huge steps toward assessing employee morale more regularly and more seriously.

Businesses cannot run effectively unless their employees are motivated to work. Employees that are dissatisfied and have poor morale often demonstrate reduced work efficiency and productivity, which can adversely impact the business.

Conversely, employees who are excited and eager to show up to work every day can make a remarkably positive impact on how your company performs. If you notice that your workers are burnt out, despondent, or are disengaged from their work, it may be time to look into ways you can boost employee morale. We’re here to help

 

Step 1: Recognize personal milestones

When employees feel valued by their employers, morale is almost always elevated. Recognizing and applauding good work and substantial growth is an important thing for managers and higher-ups to do, especially as a growing startup company. You want your employees to stick around, and the only way you’re going to do that is by letting them know that you see and greatly appreciate their labor.

Step 2: Offer more vacation days

Although no executive company wants to dish out weeks of paid time off to their employees, it does a lot of good for the company when employees feel as though their work-life balance needs are taken into account.

None of your workforce wants to feel like they are enslaved to the grind, so it’s often a worthwhile investment to allow your workers to take a couple more vacation days in the year. Generous companies typically provide anywhere between 14 and 20 days a year.

Step 3: Give them swag

Think of your company as a team. No team can win together unless they work together. Although asking your employees to wear numbered uniforms may be completely ridiculous—unless you’re a sports team—giving them some company logo swag will make them feel like a team proud to be working together toward a common goal.

Sweatshirts, mugs, umbrellas, or custom USB drives are all excellent ideas to start. You may even consider opening an online company store that lets them choose from a wide array of items with your logo professionally embellished.

Step 4: Promote a positive work environment

A happy company is a place in which people are eager and pleased to work. A healthy working environment is a critical piece of the startup puzzle. In order to promote a truly positive work environment, you must prioritize two distinct elements: recognizing hard work and developing genuine relationships.

• Recognize hard work: Each and every one single person on your staff works hard to make your company mission a reality. After all, they say that employees are the lifeblood of any company, so don’t make the mistake of brushing off your team and treating them as if they were disposable.

Whether it’s empowering administrators to honor their direct reports’ successes or implementing an Employee of the Month program, there are so many clever approaches you can take to recognize hard work.

• Develop genuine relationships: Promoting positive working partnerships is the first move in building a real organizational camaraderie. Doing so begins with getting to know your colleagues. Happy hours, in-office networking activities, and business trips are enjoyable and welcoming ways to promote the growth of such valuable relationships.

Step 5: Create a Positive Company Culture

A positive company culture is one of the most critical variables that can improve morale in the office. 84% of executives and 88% of employees believe that the culture of the workplace is a vital element for any company’s success. Bottom line, nobody wants to work in an environment that’s unfriendly, pessimistic, or doesn’t fit their values. Some ways of creating a positive corporate culture include increased communication and scheduled team bonding among many other things.

Boosting morale at your startup company is no easy fix, but with these five steps, you can begin to make significant change today!