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How Boosting Company Morale Adds To Your Bottom Line

If you own a small business, you should remember your staff is your most important asset. If your employees are happy, they will ultimately project a good impression of your company in customer interactions and will put more care into producing, packaging, selling and distributing your goods and services. Overall, if company morale is high, your bottom line will benefit from increased productivity and low turnover. Here are some ways you can boost morale in your small business.

 

Staff Appreciation

We all want to feel appreciated, especially at work. Sometimes all it takes is a simple "thanks" to let your employees know that their work matters. Taking the time to recognize when someone is doing a great job can do wonders in boosting morale.

You can get creative with expressing appreciation. Maybe someone really went the extra mile. If possible, maybe a small gift or bonus is in order. Many times, even a handwritten note, quick email, phone call or a verbal shout-out is all that's needed to make an employee happy.

 

Offer Perks And Incentives

Perks and incentives are a great morale-boosting tool. Offer free snacks. Institute casual Fridays. Have free pizza or subs delivered once a month. Provide free training and seminars. You can even have a "recreation room" with a TV, lounge chairs and a game console for use during breaks. Think outside the box.

Some great incentives include awarding team or individual bonuses. Allow employees to earn extra personal or vacation days. Give gift cards to restaurants, concert tickets or a free massage. The possibilities are endless. Feeling "rewarded" for a job well done makes an employee feel happy. If your employees feel that they are a valued part of the team, they will be which leads to increased productivity. This can only help your business bottom line.

 

Implement a Flex Schedule

In today's hectic world, most of us are forced to juggle five things at once. Implementing a "flex" schedule can have a great positive impact on company morale. Can you rotate staff members through a four day, 10-hour work week that allows for three days off each week? Can employees opt to work from home certain days of the week or dates in the month?

Your bottom line will be better off if you show willingness to work out a reasonable work/home life balance with your team. You can do this by understanding if a staff member has a doctor appointment or needs to leave early to care for a sick child. It's important to remember your employees are all people, with lives and families outside of work. If you make reasonable allowances for unexpected events, your employees will feel less stressed and less pressure on the job, which should boost productivity and add to your bottom line.

 

Find Ways to Have Fun

This tip applies inside and outside of your small business. Smiles and laughter are contagious. Try to find ways to generate both with your employees as often as you can. Organize a company picnic or bowling night. Take a group trip to an amusement park. Host an office talent show with a cash prize. Do Karaoke in the break room. Having fun now and then gives employees a chance to de-stress and recharge their batteries. If people feel refreshed after having some fun, then they will most likely be more able and willing to get back to the task at hand. Once again, this can boost productivity and efficiency for your small business and ultimately make a great positive impact on your bottom line.

 

Looking to streamline your small business's workflow? Visit usa.canon.com/maxify.

For more tips and inspiration for small business owners,
visit CBS Small Business Pulse Chicago.

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