Are your employees happy in the environment that you’ve provided? If not, you could be looking at a preventable lack of output. A study out of the University of Warwick found that happy employees are approximately 12% more productive. If your agency actively seeks out high-level professionals in your area, a great company culture may be the thing that brings them to you! If your employees work hard for you, make the effort for them.
The perks at some huge tech companies like Facebook are well publicized, but your agency probably doesn’t have a multi-million dollar recreation budget to install a cafeteria and an on-site barber shop. Luckily, there are some simpler, more cost-effective options that can go a long way. Here are some ideas to consider:
Make it Feel More Like Home
Many modern-day office buildings are trying their best to make their offices a home-like as possible, and with good reason; it makes it much more appealing to spend time there. A good work-life balance is crucial, but there’s no reason your workstation can’t be a little cozier. Doing away with the old-school cubicles and opening up the office can be an excellent way to encourage collaboration.
Encourage Humor (When Appropriate)
Most people like to lighten the mood with a joke now and then, so don’t take a hard-line stand against humor. Do, however, establish boundaries; you don’t want the office to turn into a no-holds-barred frat house. Don’t encourage jokes at a customer’s expense or making fun of fellow employees.
Support Some Casual Time
The right amount of downtime is essential for thriving brains to recharge. Instead of your workers scarfing down their sandwiches at their desks, you should encourage them to eat lunch as a group. Even instituting a casual Friday can make going to work that much more enjoyable for your employees. You could also try getting your company to get involved with the community together. It may sound counter-intuitive, but some downtime can like lead to more productivity.
Plan a Party!
Even the most curmudgeonly employees like to unwind occasionally! Get-togethers don’t just have to be the typical holiday party, either. Plan an outdoor agency outing and get everybody to enjoy the outdoors. Celebrating a work-related success can also be an excellent excuse to get everybody to have some bonding time.
And making work more appealing may not just benefit your employees. Sharing your agency happenings through social media can get you a surprising amount of engagement. You may be thinking: “Who cares what goes on out our boring old office?” Well, we’ve found that posts about agency events (even simple ones) tend to get much more engagement on the whole than links and photos pulled from the web. When Loiselle Insurance Agency posted a birthday picture of one of their employees, it got an impressive 35 likes!
Remember, no one can help make your agency a great place to work more than you. For a better time had by all, shoot for improving your company culture.