As we launch into a new year, it’s a great time for small-business owners to think about how they can create a positive and engaging work environment in 2023. Positive work environments have been shown to boost productivity, decrease staff turnover, and increase employee happiness. If you’re wanting to know what small changes you can make that will have a big impact on culture, keep reading.
The importance of listening to staff feedback
So, how do you create a positive workplace environment? Start by talking directly with your employees and getting feedback on what’s important to them. Everyone has different ways of working and different motivations, so it’s important to tailor where possible.
If you’re after some general tips and advice, a recent survey we conducted at Shouta Biz will give you a good indication of the areas you should be paying attention to.
What employees want out of their jobs
Overall, our research revealed that what employees want the most is extra cash and flexibility.
It also found that:
- 76 per cent of employees said workplace benefits either made them feel acknowledged, appreciated, happy or gave them the desire to work harder.
- When it comes to employees’ favourite ways of being rewarded, it’s unsurprising that cash ranked the highest, with 50 per cent of employees choosing it as their preference, followed by flexible work locations/conditions (19 per cent), more time off (15 per cent), perks (six per cent), learning & developments (six per cent), and in last place, a fun office with top amenities (four per cent).
- 29 per cent of respondents reported that over the next 12 months, work-life balance was their biggest concern, with 25 per cent concerned about their financial security.
We can see from the results that employees are more concerned about what’s happening and impacting them in the ‘now’, with a focus on money and flexibility, over things like career progression and training & development opportunities.
We know that incentives in the workplace make employees feel appreciated and acknowledged, but it’s interesting to note that 12 per cent of respondents reported having no benefits or incentives on offer in the workplace.
Small-business owners who don’t adopt any type of recognition, rewards, or benefits programs could be doing themselves, and their staff, a disservice. It doesn’t have to be timely, or costly, but showing recognition in one way or another can have a huge impact on creating a positive work environment. We are seeing more and more small-business owners opt for digital gifting as an easy way to reward and engage staff.
The key takeaways?
- Talk to your staff to see what a great workplace environment means to them.
- Take on board their feedback and act accordingly.
- Incentives and rewards in the workplace make employees feel appreciated and acknowledged.
- Rewards don’t need to be costly or timely, small acts can have a big impact.
- A positive work environment can result in boosted productivity, decrease staff turnover, and increase employee happiness!
