Ten steps to a happier workplace

Even if you know your corporate culture is broken, it’s hard to know what to do about it. And if you think everything is fine, you might just be in denial. Luckily there are ways to find out how your employees feel, and what might be able to turn their attitude around.

1. Analyse: You can’t fix something if you don’t know what’s broken. Whether it’s through employee surveys or analysis of productivity and engagement, it’s important to start by gathering information so you know what needs to be changed.

2. Ask:  Instead of assuming you know what change would make the biggest difference, ask workers what they want and need. “Most people just want to feel as though their opinion matters,” Jostle author Kelly Batke said. “They will enjoy the respect, and you might actually find a solution to your challenge.”

3. Prioritise: One of the things the popular Gallup surveys asks is what change would make the biggest difference for a worker’s experience. By focusing on one thing at a time you can make a big difference in a short time period.

4. Target: Once you have your priorities in place, look for the root of the problem. Before you invest in a pricy rewards program, look at what might be at the root of dissatisfaction.

5. Values: “Use potent stories and direct experiences to make change a moral and human issue,” researcher and author David Maxfield said.

6. Invest:   Competent and confident staff are more engaged and productive. Investing varies depending on the needs of your companies. It could be team-building activities, a reward and recognition program, or upgrading equipment.

7. Focused change: Use tools, technology, information and surroundings to make people conscious of the need to change and enabled to make better choices. Use the information you got from step two to implement change where needed, but not change for the sake of it. Make sure you communicate at every stage.

8. Leverage: Research has found that if people believe bad behaviour is normal they’re likely to follow suit. Make it normal to do well and be engaged.

9. Involve:  Nothing is more frustrating for a disconnected employee than to watch the same group of managers meet and make decisions,” Batke said. She also emphasised the importance of praise. If you consistently criticize but rarely praise, it’s not surprising that some employees feel unappreciated and unwanted.

10. Maintain: So you’ve made the changes, leveraged the right people, recognized and involved the disengaged – now you just have to maintain that good trend. That means continuing with best practices, adopting the right onboarding processes and ensuring you continue to keep up with your organizational needs as they change.