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happy healthy workplace

Adam Smith | January 18, 2019 | Leave a Comment

Promoting A Happy, Healthy Workplace

This is a guest post from Devin Morrissey. He has been a dishwasher, a business owner, and everything in between. You can follow him on Twitter.

Management has never been easy; it’s not uncommon to hear terrible stories about horrible managers and the difficulties they subject their employees to. Stories about managers who are constantly looking over employee’s shoulders and reminding them to dot their i’s and cross their t’s. Or alternatively, managers who are so completely disengaged that they don’t even seem to have a solid grasp on the day-to-day activities of most of their employees. Or worst of all, managers who keep workers’ noses to the grindstone all day. 

Of course, none of these management styles are beneficial to the company in the long-term. Employees with these types of managers hovering around often feel stifled, disengaged, stressed, or unsure of their next move. Productivity remains lower than it ought to be and nobody really seems happy with the job they’ve done at the end of the day. 

As a manager, it is your job to promote a productive and healthy workplace; not a dreary, slow-moving one. Contrary to popular belief, productivity doesn’t necessarily stem from working harder or longer hours, but rather from creative spirits, trusting environments, and happy employees. Therefore, as a manager, it is your job to facilitate employee happiness in their workspace. 

The only question that remains is the best way to start doing just that. 

Environment Matters

One of the most fundamental ways to start building a more productive workforce is to take a hard look at the office layout and organization. Some research suggests that employees who are happy within their work area are more likely to have higher job satisfaction rates and be nearly twice as productive when compared with employees who are unsatisfied with their workspace. It’s no wonder that major tech companies put so much effort into workplace satisfaction. 

When considering a change in office workspace, it is critical to ask employees what is likely to make them more productive. For some, an open floor plan provides more opportunities to communicate with fellow employees and produce collaborative projects more effectively. For others, quiet areas to focus in are going to be preferred for greater success. All employees benefit from a relaxed office area or break room that allows them to temporarily walk away from work throughout the day. 

Sometimes it isn’t even a complete rearrangement of floor plans that makes a difference. Sometimes all employees need to be more productive is a clean space and the time to organize it in a way that promotes efficiency. Providing the tools to do this and the opportunity to take ownership of a work area can make a substantial difference in productivity and happiness overall. 

Let Creativity Flow

Another important means of boosting workplace happiness and productivity is by finding ways to allow employees to express themselves and their creative ideas. These ideas often flow their best when there is good communication in the workplace and employees feel as though they can trust each other and their managers. Once trust is there, creativity can be boosted in any number of ways, including the open floor plans mentioned above, the development of project breakout groups, or the hiring of more diverse employees. 

Recruiting and investing in a diverse office has been linked to greater workplace happiness and productivity. Millennials, for instance, tend to prefer and often thrive in diverse workplaces with a sense of community that supports their creative ideas and drive to make a better world. A nice package of unique job perks can encourage creative thinkers to flock towards your company even more than huge salaries. 

Of course, when seeking creative employees and promoting this type of a work environment, try not to forget the influence current company culture will have. Try to cater to employee work culture when coming up with ways to boost creative thinking, and think about whether or not your people will respond well or be uncomfortable. When hiring a new employee, try to find someone who will mesh well with everyone and help maintain good work vibes. 

Encourage Breaks

Finally, although it can seem counterintuitive, promote the idea of your employees taking regular breaks (within reason). Regular work breaks have been linked over and over again to a higher rate of job satisfaction, productivity, and longevity with the company in employees. Having just a few minutes a couple times throughout the day to get up and walk away from the task at hand makes a huge difference. 

One example of this working is in the case of an employee who is struggling to write up a report because the right words just won’t come. Walking away and enjoying a short break can allow the employee to relax, revitalize, and come back ready to tackle problems. Furthermore, a break can ease up the mental bottleneck that has formed and allow words to flow more easily or a problem to be solved more quickly upon return. 

Breaks can also improve employee health (and indirectly happiness) in a few other ways. For instance, if the employee works on a computer, taking regular breaks can greatly reduce digital eye strain and all of the negative side effects associated with that. Employees who do some physical activity such as walking during their breaks may also boost energy levels and improve their fitness in a small way. 

The key to being the manager of a happy and highly productive team of individuals is finding ways to keep employees satisfied. Happiness and satisfaction can be improved in a huge number of ways, including office organization, creative encouragement, and breaks. Sometimes, it really is the small things that make the biggest difference. 

business loyalty

Adam Smith | December 10, 2018 | Leave a Comment

Better Your Business by Increasing Loyalty

People aren’t taking their business elsewhere merely because of convenience and lower price. The root of the problem is a lack of loyalty. That word your parents and grandparents used when they did business. This loyalty in business didn’t disappear into thin air. It is a concept that is a real business asset in 2018. But if you currently feel like there is a lack of loyalty with your customer base, there is always the proven way forward:

Build trust through open communication and dialogue with customers. Admit it when you make mistakes. Repeatedly offer the best products possible through trial and error. Exceed expectations with products and service. Repeat.

You need open communication and dialogue because it is necessary to know who your customers are; what your customers want, need, and expect from you; and why they want it; and then to provide those things in a tailored way. When you try to reach everyone, you end up reaching no one. That’s why it is so important to understand your spot in the business space and to build relationships with your tribe. 

Communication > Relationships > Trust > Loyalty

And I say to repeat these steps because consistency is the foundation of trust. And with trust and consistency, you are well on your way to making loyalty a part of your business. 



Work-Family-Conflict VS Family-Work-Conflict Among Working Mothers

Rachael Pace | November 5, 2018 | 1 Comment

Work-Family-Conflict VS Family-Work-Conflict Among Working Mothers

This is a guest post from Rachael Pace. She is a relationship expert with years of experience in training and helping couples. She has helped countless individuals and organizations around the world, offering effective and efficient solutions for healthy and successful relationships. She is a featured writer for Marriage.com, a reliable resource to support healthy happy marriages.

Running a business with your spouse and raising a family are two full-time jobs. Yet, many modern mothers are jumping into the entrepreneurial world and balancing motherhood with starting their own businesses. This can, no doubt, leave some mothers feeling overwhelmed over which priorities must come first in their lives.

Work-family conflict occurs when the demands of family and work are mismatched on some level. In other words, if the demands from one role affect a mother’s ability to perform the other task. This imbalance can prevent a mother from raising her children in the way she wishes she could or performing her work-tasks in a way she can feel proud of. Without a proper work-life balance, both family life and work productivity can suffer. [Read more…] about Work-Family-Conflict VS Family-Work-Conflict Among Working Mothers

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Hi, my name is Adam Smith and welcome to asmithblog.com. I am the author of the new book, The Bravest You. Because of my work as an entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and speaker, I have been named a top industry influencer by American Genius. I live with my wife, Jasmine, and three children in Shenandoah, IA.

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