Don’t get us wrong – building up and maintaining employee wellbeing and a healthy culture is a massive and ongoing mission. But there are simple ways to improve your team’s wellbeing pretty quickly and without a whole lot of effort!
Let’s dive in.
1. Introduce pulse surveys
You’ve heard us say it time and time again – listening to the voice of your employees is absolutely vital to their wellbeing, and the overall culture of your workplace. Pulse surveys are the best place to start listening to your team, and what really matters to them. Because without knowing the desires and needs of your team, how can you help them be their best at work?
2. Start really recognising people
It’s so easy, but often overlooked. Recognition goes a long, long way – and all it takes is a small moment to tell someone they’re doing an awesome job or a thanks for helping out. Introducing employee recognition tools is an excellent way to boost morale and strengthen team relations, because when employees feel acknowledged for their hard work or validated for their efforts it enhances their sense of value and motivated mindset.
3. Offer flexible working
9am – 5pm in the city office is old news. It’s undeniable that flexible working makes employees happier – all you have to do is a quick Google search to be inundated with the statistics. According to the CIPD, flexible workers have a higher level of job satisfaction, commitment and are more likely to increase discretionary effort compared to those who do not work flexibly.
Flexible work can be offered several different ways – remote or working from home, alternative hours, compressed work weeks – the list goes on. Ask your employees what works for them (using pulse surveys) and implement the changes. A happy, flexible employee is a productive employee!
4. Build in personal development time
The team at Stribe get two hours each week to work on themselves. What does that mean? Essentially, whatever they choose it to mean.
Spanish language lesson? Sure – go and make Duolingo proud!
Enrolled in a new digital marketing course? Epic, we can’t wait to hear about what you learn.
Just need a couple hours to read your favourite book and unwind? Go for it – enjoy!
The time is theirs to do what they please – whether that be enjoying a hobby, learning a new skill, or just taking some quite time for exercise or mental wellbeing. It’s an amazing way to give your team members a mental break – but even better it encourages them to do something for themselves that makes them feel good and improves their mind.
5. Autonomy and independence
Autonomy costs nothing and it’s one of the best ways to build employee gratification. Employees are adults that can – and should be – trusted to get their work done how like they to get it done. Everyone operates differently, so give your team the autonomy to achieve their goals, meet deadlines and navigate projects the way they know best how. This doesn’t mean leaving them completely on their own – support is essential, but by letting your team member’s steer their own schedules and shape their tasks it nurtures fulfilment and self-esteem.
6. Regular team socials (online and offline)
Relaxed and regular team socials are essential for connection and workplace positivity. Online gatherings, whether it’s virtual trivia nights or coffee chats, bridge the remote gap and keep everyone connected. While in-person meetups, like team lunches or outdoor activities, sprinkle in that good ol’ face-to-face camaraderie – leaving everyone with a refreshed sense of connection and belonging.
7. Benefits that are actually beneficial
You’re probably thinking what does that mean? Where do we start? How do we know what perks will be valued by our people? It comes back to what we’ve said countless times – speak to your team and listen to their needs. Employees that are given trusted platforms to speak openly will tell you what it is they need, and what benefits are going to support them most.
Everyone will be different, and realistically you won’t be able to offer all the benefits in the world… But by conducting employee surveys, you will identify core themes and sentiments for what your people desire. From there, you will be able to offer them benefits and perks that make genuine positive change.
When people are heard, teams are happy!
Stribe makes it easier for business leaders and HR teams to support the engagement and wellbeing of their employees. To learn more about Stribe and how our employee engagement platform can help your team be the best they can be – get in touch today.