Ask any business owner what they consider to be their firm’s most valuable asset to be and, almost without exception, you’ll get the same reply – its staff. Employees are the lifeblood of companies for everything from sales and customer care to manufacturing and production.

However, while most bosses realize the value of their staff, ensuring employee happiness and satisfaction at work can often be a very different story. If you’re finding your staff morale and dedication is waning, below are some tips you could employ to perk up your team and improve their time at work.

Foster good communication in the workplace

The saying goes that the best leaders lead by example, so if you want to encourage better communication in your workers, it needs to start from up high. As a boss, you have an obligation to look after the physical health and wellbeing of your employees under law – however, there’s no reason these responsibilities shouldn’t be extended to their mental health, too.

Opening the communication channels in your firm won’t just improve employee performance, it will also increase morale. If your workers feel like they’re being listened to and are better looked after, they’ll be more committed to your firm and your overall goals. Moreover, they’ll also understand their role and responsibilities better, in turn leading to increased productivity.

Think about installing a Human Resources department or manager

The size of your firm will likely dictate whether you can work with just an HR manager, or will need a dedicated department. However having someone on hand that actively takes on board the concerns and grievances of your employees will work wonders – no matter how big or small your company is.

The role of HR practitioners has transformed in recent years to cover everything from payroll to recruitment and settling employee problems/confrontations. The work performed by modern HR managers is an invaluable asset to any company and will go a long way to making your staff feel valued. Also, with the rise in cloud technologies and networks, there’s now no longer a need to have your HR teamwork in-house. For example, you could use a web-based HR Dept in North Derbyshire for your staffing requirements rather than having them work under the same roof.

Never underestimate the value of training and education

One of the most common reasons for employees quitting a position is a feeling of lack of direction or not having a structured career ladder to climb. If you don’t allow your staff to better their career prospects or develop personally, you run the very real risk that they’ll walk out.

By offering your staff the chance to further themselves through education and training, you’ll not only improve their overall skills, you’ll also end up with better-trained workers – and might even benefit from additional sideways skills that could see you branching into other sectors or areas of production.

Offering your staff additional training is one of the most effective ways to improve their skillset, raise motivation and also drive your efficiency as a company.

Don’t just assume a healthy wage is enough

While many bosses consider a healthy paycheck to be ample compensation for hard work, a great many people derive much more than just money from working. In most cases, money alone won’t be enough to retain employees. Rather, if you want your staff to stay and reduce worker turnover, you’ll need to foster an atmosphere where they feel valued and important. Remember that point at the start of this article – about staff being your greatest asset? While you may know this deep down, you need to let your team know that too.

Recognize and reward hard work

In line with the above, while wages are undoubtedly part of the reason people work, often a sense of pride and being valued are also important. Consequently, if a member of staff (or even a department) works particularly hard or produces especially good results, you should offer them some kind of reward. Sure, a simple thank you goes a long way, but employees will be particularly enamored if you occasionally offer a little more.

One thing that you can try which has now proven to improve retention rates is have in place an Employee Appreciation Program. The purpose of the program is simple- you simply reward the employees that have done outstanding work for the organization. This will ensure that you are able to boost loyalty levels in your workforce as well as cut down on attrition rates. This is something that your employees will love. You can always get employee gifts on sale on websites like Gift Market.

Bear in mind, these rewards don’t need to break the bank – sometimes, just the offer of a company lunch or night out is enough. Alternatively, you could think a little more out of the box and offer tickets to see their favorite football team, a fun day out or an excursion, etc. Pretty much anything out of the ordinary that they’re not expecting can work wonders on raising their overall morale and sense of being part of a team.