Keeping your employees happy is one of the key elements to maintaining a successful business. Though it is important, fair and competitive pay is not the only thing that employees look for to remain happy in a position. In fact, it’s only the beginning.

1. Flexibility
Employees want to be able to balance their job and their family responsibilities in a way that benefits both. Providing a flexible work schedule translates into a happier employee. If feasible, provide your employees with the opportunity to set their own hours, as long as the put in a certain amount of time each week. You will find that those employees will be much less likely to let their personal lives interfere with their work.

2. Job Security
Employees in a larger business want to know that they are not expendable. It’s important that you make laying people off an absolute last resort if something goes wrong, and make sure that your employees know that. It’s hard to be committed and loyal to an employer who has no concern about your job.

3. Fair Treatment
Far too many employers believe they must enforce strict rules and discipline in order to obtain the best performance from their employees. Granted, approximately 5% of employees do require a continual kick in the pants to stay on task. But most employees will respond much better to being trusted. Don’t hold it against your employee if he comes back from lunch five minutes late one day. Chances are he’s also the guy that stays a few minutes late without question when you need him.

Also, do everything you can to avoid office politics. Yes, you are their boss, but you also couldn’t run your business efficiently without them. You’ll get a much better performance out of employees if you treat them more like equals rather than subordinates. And don’t allow your seasoned employees to treat new employees like doormats. Your business shouldn’t be a hierarchy, it should be a team.

4. Appreciation
Recognize your employees’ achievements. Provide positive feedback when ever you observe a job well done, even if it something as simple as a successful telephone call. Make an effort to say hello each day and care about your employee. On Monday, ask her how her weekend was, and actually listen to her answer. Not only will this motivate your employee to work harder for you, but it will also open lines of communication and allow your employee to feel like she can come to you if she has a concern.

5. A Pleasant Environment
The spectrum of a pleasant working environment includes everything from sitting next to someone who wears deodorant every day to colorful walls, sunlight and fresh air. This also comes back to the fact that you should take time to talk to your employees each day and acknowledge their existence.

Encourage employees to get along with co-workers by hiring people with positive attitudes and great people skills. Consider providing opportunities for employees to socialize a bit, such as a birthday party over the lunch hour once a month for employees whose birthdays fall that month.

Recognize that employees want to be treated like adults and need more from you than a paycheck. Establish a positive relationship with your employees and watch your business thrive as employees become more devoted and enthusiastic about their jobs.

Sources:
• University of Pennsylvania: Giving Employees What They Want
• About.com: What People Want From Work
• MoreBusiness.com: Flexibility: What Employees Want in a Job

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