As a manager, keeping your employees happy should be a priority. An ideal workplace is one comprised of employees that can leave at the end of the day and look forward to returning in the morning. While this may seem like an unrealistic office, it is not impossible to implement strategies, activities, and benefits that create such an environment. Below are a few characteristics of such an office, and how you can develop them to create a workplace that employees will enjoy spending their days in.

Multiple Responsibilities

There are few jobs most people dislike more than those of complete stagnancy. For an individual to maintain a job that involves one task on a daily basis for years is truly remarkable. Most workers today want to be challenged, or at least have a variety of responsibilities. Try to include multitasking in every job role within your company. Those with a large repertoire of job responsibilities will not only feel productive, so long as the tasks are being completed, but will understand that their roles are important parts of the company.

Flexibility

As we have discussed in previous blogs , flexible hours can go a long way in the business world. A company that requires its employees to be stay at work for as long as it takes to complete a job can come off as unnecessarily strict for some, though it is necessary at times. Allow your team members to restructure their hours should the reasoning be sound. Couples who may be expecting, employees who may be experiencing family issues, or those dealing with difficult personal issues should be given opportunities to either take time off, or work remotely.

Recognition

The sense of accomplishment that comes with being recognized for a job well done is truly rewarding. To acknowledge and congratulate your employees for completing difficult tasks or going above and beyond is a trait that few managers actually have, which is a mistake in itself. You want to make your employees feel that each one of their roles is a functioning gear in the wheel of the business, and one of the best ways of doing so is recognizing them for their hard work and dedication.

Maintained Optimism

 
There will be times in every business that things are not going as well as they should; that is inevitable. However, dwelling on mistakes or failures only creates a lingering sense of pessimism that can affect every employee within the company. Instead, embrace any mistakes made as opportunities to learn and grow, maintaining an optimistic outlook throughout. For example, should you fail to meet a revenue goal for a certain month, look into why you may have fallen short, explain this to your staff, and motivate them to try and do even better next time with confidence. A general feeling of optimism throughout the office is contagious, and has the potential to spread from employee to employee.