It’s becoming increasingly important for business owners or team leaders to acknowledge their employees as valuable, recognising their contributions to the company. As a result, you can expect boosted morale and wellbeing, increasing business productivity and efficiency.
So, in what ways can you show your employees that you care about them? Here are 7 ideas.
1. Build a personal connection
Knowing your employees personally will prove to them that they aren’t just another number in your workforce, but a valuable asset to the company. For example, aim to actually remember their name and even their birthday so you can always surprise them with a birthday gift to show that you care. Take time to converse with them, even small talk on matters outside of work, which again will help to build a relationship with them that is founded on trust and genuinity.
2. Flexible working
Even with lockdowns over, it may be a good idea to offer flexible working terms such as a 6:4 office to working from home ratio for your employees. Or, simply offering more working from home days may help to improve your employees’ wellbeing by enhancing their work-life balance. This is particularly important if any employees have children or dependents, so ensure that you can provide them with assurance that they shouldn’t burn themselves out at work.
3. Listen to any feedback and criticisms
One aspect of being a successful employer is being able to actively listen to your employees. You can conduct however many feedback surveys you want, but if you don’t actually make any improvements, then what is the point? You can show that you care about them through upholding any recommendations they make to improve the workplace environment.
4. Employee bonuses
A great way to show your employees that you care about them is to have employee bonuses or employee rewards, either linked to their performance or just because. Hard work should be rewarded and this incentive will surely enhance employee morale and productivity since they’re motivated to get those bonuses.
5. Direct appreciation
One study found that 40% or more of employees report that they receive recognition a few times a year or even less! This statistic shows that you as an employer need to do more to ensure that your employees feel appreciated and valued. Directly saying thank you or praising them can go a long way, so never forget that sometimes simplicity is best.
6. Company outings
A fun way to show that you care can be to arrange company outings or events like company dinner or even something that your employees have voted on, to demonstrate that you not only listen, but you want them to also enjoy and take care of themselves. You can expect increased employee satisfaction and retention.
7. Invest in their goals and aspirations
To take a step further, you can invest in your employees’ goals and aspirations. For example, offering training opportunities that can develop their skill set and enable them to handle more responsibilities so that they’re suitable for that promotion. Or, if they’ve been aspiring to obtain a professional certificate and you have the means to support them, then why aren’t you?
And there you have it – 7 simple-yet-effective ways to show employees that you care about them.