Have you seen the movie The Internship? It stars Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as basically failed salesmen of an older generation that apply for an internship at Google. Along with a younger generation they learn the ropes of the internet world, but what stands out is the treatment of the interns and employees by the company itself.
Imagine a workplace where employees are happy, love to work, have fun on the job, and actually get the job done. This supposedly somewhat based on the truth movie shows a company that gives all of that to their employees, and they do it in the simplest ways. Here are a few things that you should be offering your team, which will help keep them motivated and keep moral boosted all through the workday.
Give Employees Positive Feedback
One thing that really motivates employees is positive feedback. Don’t be afraid to give your employees props when they need it. You’ll find that hard working employees that know you notice they are working hard will actually work harder. When you don’t show that you notice, they tend to start to slack off after a while.
While it is still important to give critical feedback to employees, being positive spreads positivity, and a positive workplace is a more productive and upbeat one. A simple “Great job!” can make a huge difference in an employee’s day.
Make The Workplace More Relaxed
If employees feel on the edge all of the time it can cause problems with their work day. Start the day with a smile. Always smile and great your employees when you see them for the first time of the day. It helps relax them.
People that are relaxed can actually get more done, plus removing that daily stress can make for much healthier employees that will live longer. While some businesses are all about how much work you can get done in a short period of time, letting your employees slow down a little bit can make all the difference.
Offer A Quiet Room For Break Time
One of the coolest things in The Internship, aside from the free fruit, was the quiet room with the white pods where workers could take a nap or read a book while on their break (or meditate, if that’s their thing). It can really help to have two different break rooms set up for your employees.
Offer the typical cafeteria style break room, with all the clattering of people eating and all of the chattering of employees catching up on personal lives. Then have a room like the pod room, even if it just looks like a mini-library, where those that need some quiet time can go and relax on their break or lunchtime.
Have Free Morning Coffee
Your employees are craving refreshments, and Aramark refreshment services agrees that companies should be offering their employees what they want and need. Offering free refreshments to workers can definitely be a morale booster, even if you can’t offer the free shmorgishborg that Google does.
Don’t just have free coffee though. Not everyone drinks coffee, so also have tea and a water cooler. Nothing says office space like a group of guys and gals in suits hanging out around the water cooler talking about how awesome their boss is.
Supply Snacks To Your Team
Even if you can’t afford to offer free snacks to your employees, it can still be helpful to have some healthy snacks available for a small cost. Things like fruits, nuts, and yogurt all boost energy and help with brain health. That means your snacks will help your workers be better at what they do!
It can also be a great idea to allow employees to bring in shareable homemade healthy snacks. This boosts employee relationships, and everyone loves a free snack.
You can ensure that your workers love their job and keep coming back to punch that clock by simply offering them a few things that keep them smiling and motivated. Your company may not have the money Google does, but you can still have happy and positive employees!
