People need to work to pay their bills and so forth, but that doesn’t mean that the only thing they look for from an employer is a paycheck. They also want to work in an environment that’s pleasant. Indeed, this is something that’s becoming increasingly important to employees, so it’s worthwhile looking at ways to make your space more enjoyable. In doing so, you’ll be helping to retain your existing staff and attract new candidates, and that’s something that can have a significantly positive impact on your business.
If you’re not sure how to improve the quality of your workplace, then read on below, where we’ll run through some of the most effective methods.
Avoid Overcrowding
It’s not nice to work in a cramped space. Feeling like you’re surrounded by too many people or things can have a negative impact not only on your enjoyment of work but on the quality of the work. So it’s in your interest to try to make your workspace feel as large as possible. One way to do this is to move to a new office, but you don’t necessarily have to. There are ways to make your existing office seem bigger by removing clutter, getting rid of bulky furniture, and spacing out the desks.
Let In Light
Light is another thing that comes up time and time again when employees are discussing their office preferences. It’s easy to see why someone would prefer to work in a place that lets in a lot of natural light rather than a dark, windowless basement. So take a look at improving the light quality of your workplace. You could find that by changing the windows (or just cleaning them) and getting rid of any blinds you may have, you can help to bathe the office in sunlight.
Think of Temperature
The decor of the space is important. But what really matters is the temperature of the office. If it’s too hot or too cold, then your employees will begin to complain. In this day and age, there’s no reason not to have the right temperature, so make sure you’re taking action if you have problems. As well as the temperature of the air, look at your hot water taps — cold water can be grueling during the winter months — a heater or water pump repair could be necessary. You can go above and beyond by supplying fans during the summer months and fresh tea or coffee during the colder time of the year.
Social Spaces
Finally, what about allowing your employees the chance to spend time with one another? Studies have shown that employees are much happier when they feel that they have friends in the office, but that can only happen if they’re given a chance to spend time with one another. Look at adding a social area to the office where people can get to know one another in an informal way — you never know what collaboration projects may happen when employees get together and get talking.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-yan-krukov-7640445.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-10-26 16:00:402022-10-26 14:45:45Creating a Happy Workplace For Your Employees
As the saying goes, ‘you can’t be a healthy company with a broken workforce’. But, what does that really mean?
You might think it means investing in your employees’ physical health by providing an onsite gym or nurturing their mental health, or reducing work-related stress with access to confidential counseling.
Whether you are an established business or a burgeoning start-up, however, it is just as important to create a positive working culture where employees feel valued and respected. This starts with communication. Not only do employees need to know what their role is and be told how well they are doing it, but they also need encouragement and ongoing opportunities for career growth and development.
People thrive when they feel a sense of ownership over their work and can see where they can grow into new roles within the company. Here are five valid reasons to prioritize both the physical and mental health of all your employees.
1. Recognize that a healthy workforce is happier and more productive
The number one reason to prioritize the physical and mental health of employees goes without saying – a healthy workforce (both physically and mentally) is a happier and more productive one. Yet, although this may seem like an obvious theory, there are scientific studies to back it up!
A healthy body and mind can lead to increased energy levels, improved decision-making and better relationships with colleagues. When businesses value and embrace a more holistic approach to their employee’s health is an important step that can benefit their overall business success.
Holistic health also means that employees will be less likely to take sick days or call in sick because of illness or stress. Employee benefits that can help keep your workforce happy and healthy, include:
Universal healthcare packages
Dental insurance
Parental leave
Counseling and support
Gym memberships
Cycle-to-work schemes
2. Create a culture where employees feel valued and respected
If you want to create a workplace where employees feel valued and respected, you’ll need to start by promoting a culture of respect and inclusion. This means providing a safe and inclusive workplace environment that doesn’t tolerate any harassment or discrimination.
It also means providing your team with clear communication about company values, goals, processes and procedures so everyone is on the same page about what’s expected from them. The more transparent you are as an employer, the more comfortable your employees will feel taking initiative in their work – and that leads to better productivity overall.
Offer regular feedback opportunities for all members of your team so they can understand how they’re doing individually (and if there are issues). And, don’t forget about recognizing their achievements: small gestures like bonuses or gift vouchers for a spa day, or giving out ‘employee-of-the-month’ awards can help to reinforce a caring company culture on a daily basis.
3. Promote wellbeing and strong lines of communication
In addition to promoting wellbeing and communicating how to instill it, ensure that your employees are clear about the importance of communication. Good communication is key to building relationships with one another and helping everyone succeed in their roles. The more you can nurture open lines of communication, the better equipped you’ll be to support your staff when they need it most.
Make sure your employees feel comfortable communicating any private physical issues and personal mental health issues. There are recommended healthcare checks for over 50-year olds and, rather than putting these check-ups off, it is far better to create a culture where staff feel comfortable keeping important appointments. And, even if you offer a great parental package, pregnant women might still need to attend baby scans or unscheduled dental check-ups before they take maternity leave. The same hormonal changes that trigger morning sickness during pregnancy can also lead to sensitive teeth.
Encouraging every member of staff who has a valid reason for needing extra time off is a small gesture that goes a long way, and is appreciated by everyone.
4. Identify and prevent early signs of burnout
It is important to recognize the early signs of burnout in the workplace so you can help prevent it. When employees are experiencing burnout they may feel hopeless, depressed, irritable and more. So, you can see why they might not be productive at work if they are burned out!
Here are some early signs of burnout:
Low motivation. If you feel like your work doesn’t matter or that you’re not learning anything new, it may be time to reevaluate your job.
Feelings of hopelessness and ineffectiveness. This can include having trouble making decisions at work or feeling overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done (or even by simple tasks).
Difficulty sleeping and being tired during the day. If you struggle with both falling asleep and staying asleep, it may be a sign that you’re experiencing burnout symptoms.
5. Encourage best-performance within the workplace
As the leader of your company and a human being with a conscience, you should be deeply concerned about your employees’ physical and mental health. As both a leader and an individual with a conscience, you have a responsibility to take action on behalf of your team members in order to ensure that they are able to perform their jobs at their highest levels.
There are many ways this can be done – we recommend offering company-wide perks that benefit both physical health and mental wellbeing. A few examples include:
On-site fitness facilities for all employees
Regular mindfulness training sessions in the office or at home (via video conference)
Adhoc days off for important appointments such as dental appointments
Meal delivery service from local restaurants (or meals prepared by higher-ups).
6. Value employees to increase engagement, long-term staff retention and company profitability
As a business owner, you know that your employees are the backbone of your company. They are the ones who ensure that your products get made and get shipped out on time. They’re the ones who keep customers happy, answer questions and process orders when they come in. In short, they help make sure that everything runs smoothly in your workplace.
While it can be tempting to cut corners when it comes to employee health and wellbeing, it’s a good idea to prioritize them instead because doing so will:
Increase employee engagement, long-term staff retention and company profitability. When employees feel valued by their employer – and not just as workers but as people – they are happier in their jobs and more productive overall.
Boost morale across all levels of your organization by prioritizing healthcare initiatives that benefit everyone from executives down to every level of staff members.
Enable creativity among employees through programs like flexible schedules or telecommuting opportunities that allow workers flexibility with their schedule while also reducing stressors associated with commuting (like sitting in traffic) or needing constant supervision at home.
It’s clear that improving employee wellbeing is good for your business and the people who work for you. It makes sense to put resources into creating a healthier environment and encouraging healthy habits because this will benefit everyone involved – including yourself!
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As a business owner, you always want your company to succeed and flourish as much as possible. This involves being as organized as you can, preparing for every eventuality, and keeping your employees happy – among other things. Having your own business is one of the best things that you will ever do and that’s why you want to make sure it does well. If you find that your company is floating through and doing ok, but you want it to do better, or that it isn’t doing as well as you hoped, there are many reasons why this might be. Here we take a look at some top tips to help your business succeed.
Always have back up plans
A back up plan is vital, it means that if something were to inevitably go wrong – which let’s face it, happens all the time, no matter how prepared you are – you are ready. From having spare engine parts for machinery such as Navistar Engine Parts, to contingency plans for if the internet goes down or if people can’t get into the office for some reason, it is all-important. Having plans in place means there’s no panic if something happens, you all know exactly what to do and can get back on track in no time at all.
Keep your employees happy
Your employees are essentially the backbone of your business and if they are happy, the business is more likely to be a success. Without them, the integral cogs would stop turning and you would find it near impossible to run all the necessary operations of the company. Keep them happy in ways such as acknowledging their work when they do well, offering perks such as finishing early on a Friday, and keeping in touch with them if they have any concerns. Offer good career progression and always be approachable and let them know you are there for them and to help their career grow and flourish.
Innovate as much as you can
While you might think your company is doing well, it’s always important to stay ahead of the game. Be sure to innovate and come up with new ideas as much as possible. Don’t shy away from new technology or be afraid to switch up the way you do things. It’s the companies that are afraid of change that often find themselves lagging behind the competition and unable to get ahead. Embrace differences and try something new – if it doesn’t work, it’s better that you tried and failed it rather than always staying the same.
These are a few top tips that should help you to ensure your business does well. Businesses are something that once you’ve started, become a part of your daily life and almost like a child to you – so you want to nurture it and watch it grow. What are some top things you like to do in order to help a business to flourish? Let us know in the comments, we would love to hear from you.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-fauxels-3183197-1-1.jpg8011200Sharon Kastorianohttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngSharon Kastoriano2022-07-28 16:00:462022-07-28 15:28:33Tips To Help Your Business Succeed
After the Great Resignation, it’s becoming increasingly apparent to employers that they will need to do more if they want employees to be loyal and stick around for a long time. The attitude towards the workplace has shifted significantly since the COVID19 pandemic and more and more employees are now putting themselves first, thinking nothing of quitting for better opportunities if one comes their way.
Because of this, employers need to think outside of the box and come up with creative ideas to encourage employees to stick with them. These days, employees aren’t going to stick around just because they have a job – there is so much more on offer elsewhere. Some of the main things that you can do to encourage more employee loyalty include:
Provide a Great Place to Work
First and foremost, employees do not want to feel like they are a slave to the company that they work for. Providing somewhere to work that is fun, interesting, and challenging for employees while rewarding them handsomely for the effort that they put in will not only attract more of the top talent to come and work for you but will also encourage them to stick around for longer. Focus on providing a workplace that people will not want to leave, even if a potentially better opportunity comes along.
Offer Health Benefits
After the pandemic, an increasing number of people care more about their health and wellbeing than they did previously, so it only makes sense for employers to take notice of this and offer benefits that employees will want to take advantage of for better health. Along with offering health insurance through your company to provide employees with more peace of mind when it comes to medical bills, you may also want to consider offering supplemental health benefits where employees can get discounts on additional insurance products, medical products, healthy food and more. Find out more about how some available health benefits compare with Soultran.
Invest in Employees
These days, employees don’t want to work somewhere where they often feel like they could be replaced at any moment. To encourage your best employees to remain loyal and continue working for your company for a long time, it’s important to invest in your people. This might be in the form of offering training opportunities for future promotions, paying towards the cost of online degree programs and more. The more you put into your employees, the more you are likely to get out of them.
Prioritize Mental Health
Last but not least, mental health in the workplace has become a hugely important topic over the past few years, especially after the COVID19 pandemic which had a huge impact on peoples’ mental health around the world. As a company, one of the best things that you can do to show your employees that you care about them as people and are a company worth sticking with is to make their mental health and wellbeing a priority.
With employees leaving companies that don’t meet their needs at a rapid rate, it’s time for employees to change their approach to employee retention and focus on providing a workplace that encourages workers to be loyal for the right reasons.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-anastasia-shuraeva-7278604.jpg8001200StrategyDrivenhttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngStrategyDriven2022-07-20 09:00:422022-07-20 01:07:34How to Encourage More Employee Loyalty in a Post-Pandemic World
This article will discuss the basics of a 401k plan and how to enroll employees year-round. We’ll also cover setting up a trust for the project, payroll integration, and an employer match. The following section will cover some common questions related to 401ks.
Enrolling employees year-round in a 401k plan
Enrolling employees in a 401k plan for your business requires time. Recruiting a new employee means waiting for an enrollment period and paperwork. Making this process easier, you can make it easier by enrolling employees year-round.
Another way to increase employee engagement is to use auto-enrollment. Employees may usually adjust their contribution amounts or investment selections and request a refund under most auto-enrollment programs. Employees should be informed about the strategy and guidance on how to opt-out. In addition to offering employees a more affordable way to contribute to their retirement accounts, automatic enrollment encourages workers to take advantage of the plan and save more money.
Automatic enrollment allows employers to enroll all eligible employees into the plan automatically. During their employment, an employee can elect to make voluntary contributions or to deduct predetermined amounts of their wages. Automatic enrollment is usually a good option for new plans because the tax credits could offset the costs of setting up the plan. Additionally, automatic enrollment offers employers a $500 tax break for the first three years.
Establishing a 401k trust
You can set up a 401(k) account as a legal entity. It will require a trustee, who will usually be the company’s owner or its president. If you are self-employed, you will likely serve as a trustee. This role can be risky, as you are responsible for compliance and plan design. The trustee may be the business owner, or you could be the self-employed person who has no prior experience running a business.
Once you have chosen your plan document, you will need to decide how many employees you want to enroll. Most 401(k) plans require at least a half-dozen people to participate. However, a 401(k) plan may be too small if your company is smaller. If so, you can consider a third-party administrator for ease of administration. Third-party administrators typically have a team of experts who can help you with the plan setup and maintenance.
Getting payroll integration for a 401k plan
A 401(k) plan can significantly impact the program’s administration. Payroll integration connects payroll data with record keeping systems and benefit providers. It automates compliance monitoring and focuses on maximizing retirement benefits.
Getting payroll integration for a 401(k) plan for your company allows you to streamline the administration of your retirement plan by automating the process. For example, the payroll provider will relay census information to your 401(k) record keeper, which helps you save time. The payroll provider will also process employee contributions. In addition, once the integration is complete, the payroll provider will no longer rely on manual data entry.
Getting an employer match for a 401k plan
While getting an employer match for a 401k is free money, there are some restrictions and other conditions. For example, most employers do not match 100% of contributions. You can, however, get as much as 3 percent of your salary matched by your employer. If you can get an employer match of 3 percent or more, you will have the potential to double your retirement savings. You could potentially earn up to $150,000 and receive about $42,000 in free contributions during your lifetime. Getting an employer match is an excellent way to increase your retirement savings.
Before receiving the employer match, you must know how it works. For example, some employers cap their match at 6% of your salary. In this case, your employer would match up to $1,800 of your 401(k) contributions. However, many employers provide employees with documents detailing their benefits. If you are unsure about your plan, contact your HR office or the benefits manager. Be sure to understand the specific terms of the match, including when it will begin and how often it will be transferred.
https://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/pexels-tara-winstead-7111543.jpeg19201280Nathan Iveshttps://www.strategydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/SDELogo5-300x70-300x70.pngNathan Ives2022-05-22 17:32:032022-05-22 17:32:03How to Set Up a 401k for Your Company
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People need to work to pay their bills and so forth, but that doesn’t mean that the only thing they look for from an employer is a paycheck. They also want to work in an environment that’s pleasant. Indeed, this is something that’s becoming increasingly important to employees, so it’s worthwhile looking at ways to make your space more enjoyable. In doing so, you’ll be helping to retain your existing staff and attract new candidates, and that’s something that can have a significantly positive impact on your business.
This article will discuss the basics of a 401k plan and how to enroll employees year-round. We’ll also cover setting up a trust for the project, payroll integration, and an employer match. The following section will cover some common questions related to 401ks.
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