Employee happiness is an often overlooked stat in business. I understand how it happens; you’ve got a lot going on and the last thing on your mind is worrying about the mental health of those working in your office. It can be easy to ignore… until your employees up and quit, that is.
Employee happiness is directly linked to productivity, creativity, and positive attitude. It is also linked to the longevity of employment and increases loyalty to your company.
So, how can you make your employees happier? Spoiler: You don’t need to give everyone a raise. Implementing creative and useful benefits and incentives is enough to help your staff feel valued. Keep in mind that the most beneficial incentives are going to be those that encourage work-life balance and negate burnout.
ELABORATE BENEFITS OTHER COMPANIES ARE OFFERING
Vault curated a list of benefits other law firms offer to members of their law firms and I want to share a few of my favorites.
- Daycare exclusively for children of firm employees that operates on the same schedule as the law firm
- Quarterly massage budget
- All expenses paid annual one-week trip to Hawaii
- Global soccer tournament with paid travel to different fun locations to play
- Onsite gym with a personal trainer available for once weekly sessions. Now, those benefits are all dreamy but most of us aren’t quite in a place in business to offer such elaborate perks just yet. What can we do on a tighter budget?
BENEFITS THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK
There are plenty of ways to show your appreciation for your employees without emptying your pockets. Here are a few that really stuck with me as impactful.
- A cereal bar – this one is quirky, fun, and filling
- Breast milk delivery program for traveling moms
- Extended parental leave for all parents, including adoptive & surrogate
- Flexible work hours – Netflix doesn’t track vacation time or working hours, they track the actual work completed
- More vacation time
These are all pretty simple examples but they greatly improve the balance between work and family, which is shown to improve the quality of work produced. It’s important to note, too, that if you notice a benefit is not being utilized, you can switch it up! There’s no need to waste money if the benefit isn’t one that your team finds valuable. Survey your employees about what they would rather see and work to implement those instead.
HOW BACK OFFICE BETTIES GOT CREATIVE WITH BENEFITS
You don’t have to stick to the same benefits that everyone else is offering. In fact, I highly recommend that you don’t do that! Sure, there may be some things that would be viewed as standard. But offering additional unique ( & useful) benefits helps to make you stand out as an employer and further encourages employee happiness and loyalty in your team. At Back Office Betties, we have implemented some perks and incentives that our team loves and utilizes.
Dream Program – Every employee fills out a wish list of their dreams and we grant wishes based on performance, thus connecting personal goals to their day-to-day work
Working From Home – Every Bettie works in the comfort of their home. We provide their equipment and encourage participation in our Betties community through chat and virtual events so that each employee gets the best of both (working) worlds!
Home Buyers Program – Two Betties per year qualify for assistance with a down payment on a new home
Wellness Days – Twice per year, Betties are offered a paid day off to get pampered on Back Office Betties’ dime
Annual Growth Budget – Each Bettie is given a budget to spend on learning and growth, however they see fit
2 + 3 = 5 Year Anniversary Program – Upon their fifth Bettieversary, employees get 2 weeks consecutive paid time off + $3000 to take a vacation and treat themselves for their loyalty and hard work.
These are just a few examples of ways to boost your employees’ happiness, but don’t let these suggestions limit you! Benefits aren’t the only way to boost morale. I recommend asking your team what would make them happier and follow up with action based on their suggestions. Utilize an employee happiness survey like OfficeVibe and also track productivity, then see how the two compare!
